Leaving My Mark

“How will I leave my mark on the world?” I was brought up with this idea ingrained in my head. I had a need to be remembered for doing something great. “What will I be famous for? How will I display my power or fortune?” These are not biblical questions. Fortune, or wealth, is not to be my legacy. (It is a good thing since I am not wealthy by American standards.) What does money prove? A few people are remembered for being wealthy but that is about all that we remember about them. What is wealthy anyway? God owns it all—all creation submits to Him and glorifies Him for His great works. Wealth is so unimportant that God even uses gold to pave the streets of Heaven—what I struggle so hard to get He uses as asphalt. This is one reason that scripture states that God is “more precious than silver”. Fame and glory are not to be my gifts to the world either. This is a tough one to swallow. We all want to stand out and be noticed—our obsession with celebrity reality TV proves my point. I used to look for opportunities to be seen and heard. Jesus warned us about seeking the “best seats at the banquet” and losing our perspectives in the pursuit of recognition. King David said, “what is man that you are mindful of him?” What makes me think I am so important? God is the one who deserves the glory. Yahweh is the Famous One—not me. I will not likely be remembered for my personal power. My original life plan (not God’s) was to enter the military then politics and walk the halls of power. We all want some amount of control over the world around us. The problem is that human power is at best fleeting and at worst an illusion. “Man plans his ways but God directs his steps.” I must be willing to give over control of my world to God—let Him deal with the mess and trust Him to make things right according to His will. My only power is that of Christ living in and working through me. I am weak but His strength is perfect. I want to be more than a name on a plaque, an inherited bank account, or a “do you remember”. My life goal is to make Jesus known through my life. I can make a mark by pointing others to Jesus. Let my legacy be the impact that I can have on others for Christ—others who will do much greater things than I. Let me be remembered for my faith and the way I treat people.