Legacy of Purpose
by Debbie Poer
Each of us knows we should be living our lives with purpose, but we often struggle with understanding that purpose and how to go about living it out. As we pursue living like Jesus our purpose certainly has a different meaning than if we were living for self. When I live for self and to fulfill my own purpose I am thinking of the next thing, the next job, the next relationship that will make me look bigger, smarter, or more____ (you fill in the blank). But when we are living like Jesus our purpose becomes focused outside of ourselves. We desire to honor God in all that we think, say, and do. We claim Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the LORD your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might,” as our foundation. We acknowledge Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you,” as instructions for what we are to do.
In our young adult years, we see our purpose as learning about Jesus and sharing about him with our friends. If we marry and have children, we say our purpose is to teach our children about Jesus, so that they too want to become Christ-followers. Along the way we may teach or lead in children’s worship, serve on church teams, or volunteer helping in a variety of ways those in need. We spend time being the hands and feet of Jesus throughout many years of our lives.
And then before we know it, we are thinking about retirement from our jobs and the last years of our earthly lives. What then? What is our purpose? Are we without purpose? As I have reached this chapter of my life and have had serious conversations with God and myself, I have come to the conclusion the answers to those questions are: “there is more.” I must rediscover my purpose. I am not without purpose. I have not found any place in Scripture that tells me Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 28:19-20 have an end date or expiration date before I die.
I continue to be on my own journey. There are many things I can do to live like Jesus with purpose. My volunteering might look different. I may no longer be able to lift the toddlers to serve in MOPS, but I can sit with the school-aged child to tutor him or her. My health may not allow international mission trip travel, but I can serve at the local food pantry.
I am often reminded of my amazing father-in-law. Dad lived the last years of his life with very limited eyesight and minimal hearing. But he never lived without purpose, and he knew his purpose. He would often tell us he might not be able to do many things physically, but he could be an encourager. The majority of the residents in the community where he lived were women. He could not distinguish faces, but as he passed them in the dining room or hallway, he would complement them on the color of their shirt, “because women like that.” When he left his earthly life six days before his 100th birthday, we lost a great example of what it looks like to live with purpose no matter our age.
The other person I continue to see live like Jesus is my mother. At the age of 98, her Bible and devotional book continue to reside by her chair where she can regularly use them. On Sunday mornings you will find her using her iPhone to tune into the Sunday worship service at her church. Her purpose is to continue to show her children what it looks likes to love God and worship him.
What will I leave as my legacy in living like Jesus with purpose? What will be the legacy you leave?
