Rev. Don Campbell

1 Chronicles 3-5

THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 25, 2019

“WE ALL LEAVE A LEGACY”

THOUGHT FOR TODAY, APRIL 25, 2019: WE ALL LEAVE A LEGACY [1 Chronicles 3-5]

In my post “God Has No Grandchildren” (4-23), I began with these words: “Name after unpronounceable name.” Most of us cannot trace our family tree to its trunk, much less to its root. If we could, we might not like what we found.

In today’s reading, we have more of the same. Let me direct your focus to these words: “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10). An interesting thing about Jabez is that neither his father nor his mother is named. He is introduced with the words “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.” We do not know how many brothers he had nor the name of any of them.

Jabez will always be remembered for prevailing prayer. How will we be remembered by those who might remember us when we are gone? Will they fondly remember us as a hard-nosed workaholic, a bellicose bully, a clueless clod, or by some other epitaph such as the one inscribed on one man’s tombstone: “Here lies the body of Martin Jay; he died maintaining the right away. He was right, dead right as he drove along; but he is just as dead as if he were wrong”? Another tombstone read, “Like a hickr’y cog in the old mill wheel, he did his part as his turn came ‘round.” Barnabas will always be remembered at “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). Whether fairly or not, Thomas will always be known as “Doubting Thomas.” By what epitaph do you want to be known? Do others perceive us as possessing whatever positive attribute it is by which we wish to be remembered?

Of course, the perception of some will be colored more by their own defects than by our true strengths and weaknesses. The praise of Jabez came from an unbiased chronicler. Someday, we will hear our legacy as proclaimed by Christ. If “good and faithful servant” is our legacy before the Lord, that shall be enough (Matthew 25:21-23).

CONNECTIONS

1. Paul wrote, “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5). What does this tell us about putting too much stock in what either or friends or our enemies say about us?

2. Dr. Seuss said, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” In the end, what will matter? (John 5:44).