My sister and her family had recently decided to move from Houston to Boston. Over the last few days I have been helping her prep for the big move. With 3 toddlers and an infant in the house, we hustled and bustled to cram in and tape down 8 years worth of stuff into labelled boxes and containers. Those of us who have moved houses (or countries for that matter) know the ordeal of having to sort, organise, pack and sometimes (painfully) throw away everything from pots and pans to cushions and couches.
As those outgrown baby clothes go to the “donate” pile and your first “real” piece of furniture now needs to be left behind -- a warm sense of “how has time flown?!” and nostalgia fill your heart. It feels like you're taking stock of what your life has been for the last few years while anticipating what it may be for the next few. Eventually, what we all call home, we will one day have to leave behind. It could take 8, 10 or 20 years. We all make our homes as pretty, as comfortable, and as safe as we possibly can -- familiarise ourselves with all its nooks and crannies, cracks and dents, then one fine day it's no longer home.
All this packing and moving, and the recent, untimely death of someone I knew, reminded me of how temporary our life on our earthly home is. We exert all our energy to make our lives on this temporary home as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. All our choices for our education, our life partners, our friends and sometimes even our church revolve around this. But at the end of the day, it lasts only for the 60, 70 or 80 years the Lord may grant to us.
In light of this, I challenge you to ask yourself the 3 questions every family that moves houses asks themselves:
What do I take with me?
What do I leave behind?
What do I give away?
“For we bought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:7).
My prayer is that each of us will strive to behind a legacy and testimony worthy of the gospel. We leave behind a community, a church and children who have been blessed and built through us. I still believe that the fruit of my late grandmother’s prayers and blessings are still being enjoyed by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
We know the story of Jim Elliot, who in his death more than in his life, inspired many others to step out into the mission field. May we leave behind a legacy lasting generations to come!
Lastly, let’s challenge ourselves to give away our most today. Our resources, our time, our energies, and our wealth. You may be young with all the energy and no time, or you may be old with all the time and no energy. Whatever the Lord has blessed you with for this season of life -- give it away.
As sober as the thought of death and the preparation for the same may be, let this scripture encourage you:
“ . . . What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived -- the things God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Gesly, this is profound and convicting! I want to paste it in my heart ! Such a beautiful thought.