The Greatest Legacy

Scripture:  Acts 6:5 (NKJV) And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit.

My Uncle Henry, affectionately called “Junebug,” had great faith in his Savior Jesus Christ and possessed a gift for casually weaving into everyday conversation the need we all have for “knowing the Lord as one’s Savior.”  The assurance of knowing Jesus came up often, even during the driving lessons he gave me one summer—especially when those lessons led us into rush hour traffic on 495! The words, ‘BRAKE!  BRAKE now, Neicey!’ came up often during my eighteenth summer, as did the admonition to believe on Jesus, while the heart’s still beating and the brain waves still waving!  It would be nine years later before Jesus found me, but I never forgot about my Uncle Junebug’s uniquely strong faith in Jesus!
     
Stephen, Christendom’s first martyr, was also known for his fervent love for and faith in Jesus.  He is twice described in Acts chapter six as a man “full of faith.’  Verse eight of that chapter adds that Stephen was “full of faith and power.”   That his life and spoken convictions were most impactful to the hearts of that audience of largely religious Christ-rejectors cited in Acts, chapter six, was clearly evidenced by the homicidal hostility that was visited upon him!  While most of us will never be confronted by that kind of horrible revilement because of our faith, reading about its reality, even in the 21st century, compels us reflect upon the power of such a legacy that one can leave upon departing this world!  Of all my relatives, the vibrant Christian faith of my late uncle, makes him the most dynamic, the most memorable.

To be greatly valued by the God of Heaven one need not to have penned a hundred books, fed millions of hungry people around the globe, developed a vaccine for an infectious disease, or done any of those grandiose things-- as stupendous as they all are-- for their benefit to humanity.  What a radical departure, though, from how the world assesses human influence!  There are many souls, written of in the Bible, and many more over the past two thousand-some years, whose lives will one day be highly commended by our Savior solely because of their eternal influence on people they may have never met in this life.  

Prayer:  Dear Father, please stir up in us, Your blood-purchased people of all ages, an increased desire to leave a legacy of faith in our wake.  We yearn to hear our Savior’s ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’  Thank You, in Jesus’ name, and amen!

(by Sis. Denise Diggs)