“Great people plant shade trees they’ll never sit under.” ~ Alfred North Whitehead
Did you know that tree planting and legacy building have much in common? When I first read the quote from Whitehead, the significance of it didn’t hit me. Then, I began to ponder it, and oh, my goodness. Whitehead knew a lot about legacy.
Every moment of every day you and I are building our legacy. We are systematically, whether intentionally or unintentionally, creating the picture of our lives with our thoughts, words, and actions. I wrote a lot about legacy in my first Bible study, From the Trash Pile to the Treasure Chest: Creating a Godly Legacy.
Today, let’s consider our legacy in light of tree planting. Suppose I hopped in my car and drove to a local nursery today. I tell the nursery manager that I would like to plant some oak seedlings so that I could have some shade on my house from the afternoon sun. I go on to tell him that the oak will have to be pretty tall to give me that shade because I have a two-story home. While I am speaking, I notice that his brow is elevating, and his face gives away the fact that he is about to tell me something I don’t necessarily want to hear.
Mr. Manager says to me, “Ma’am, it takes an oak tree approximately 80 years to grow to full maturity. If you plant a seedling today, you will probably never live to see it give you the kind of shade you are seeking. One day, it will be a mighty fine shade tree, but not in your lifetime.”
I managed not to be offended that he doesn’t think I’m still 25 years old! I choose an oak seedling, and a Leyland cypress (which grows really fast), and head off to plant my trees.
So it is with our lives and legacies, friend. Many of the words we speak and the things we do today will not bear fruit in our lifetime. Do them anyway! Some of the greatest moments of our legacy will be those words and deeds planted in the lives of others that bear fruit long after we move into heaven.
So, how do we plant trees and build legacies from which others can benefit? Let me give you seven tips:
Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
That is where a godly legacy begins.
Actively cultivate your relationship with Jesus through prayer and study of the Scriptures.
Ask the Lord to help you live a life that leaves a godly legacy.
The Holy Spirit will help you live a life that exhibits a godly character and holiness before a world that desperately needs to see those things.
Give your life away. Serve others sacrificially.
Make Romans 12:1 a reality in your life.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.
Seek ways to build relationships with younger people (both chronologically and spiritually) so you can speak the truth of Jesus into their lives.
Mentoring is a wonderful way to speak godly truth into the next generation.
Decide today that you will be submissive and obedient to whatever the Lord asks you to do.
God has promised to bless those who bend their knee to His will.
1 Samuel 15:22 – But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
This may be redundant, but it is so, so important. Satan will try to lure your eyes to other things. Don’t let Him.
Hebrews 12:2 – Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Focusing on these seven legacy-building tips, friends, will ensure that you plant mighty oaks under which many generations will sit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
