A Legacy of Faith

Over the course of the last week, I have had many moments of quiet reflection about the life of one man, my grandfather.  The more I pondered the life he lived, the more AWE built inside of me.  This awe wasn’t reflected toward the man himself, but toward the Man he served.  

If you had been among those lucky enough to meet my grandfather, you would have observed at least four things about him.  He was a well groomed man that was at home in a Stetson and bolo tie for one.  2.  He loved fishing.  3.  He loved Jesus.  4.  In fact, he loved Jesus so much that he had to share Him with everyone he met.

That’s the legacy my grandfather left me.  Not religion or the practice thereof, but a living breathing relationship with Jesus Christ.

My grandfather wasn’t perfect, but his life weaves a beautiful pattern of walking with his Savior.  A tapestry of grace, forgiveness, and transformation.  My grandfather loved because Christ loved him first.  It was evident in the way he lived his life in service to his King and to others.

The legacy of faith my grandfather left behind is like any other gift in the fact that it must be unwrapped and accepted by the receiver.  As a receiver of this priceless legacy, it’s up to me what I do with it.  I can leave it wrapped, open it and put it on a shelf after examination, or I can put this legacy into practice in my own life each day.  

I can’t think of a better time for the legacy of faith he left behind to be opened, lived, and poured out then during a time of Thanksgiving and the Season of Christ’s birth.  This holiday season, I hope that you take the time to quietly unfold all of the mysteries of Christ’s birth and that you find the courage to accept God’s gift given to you and me that we might have and live a life of abundant joy, peace, acceptance, belonging, and freedom all through one man who came to earth as a baby, Jesus.