Author's Note: Much is influencing us these days; our culture, our government, friends, family, but, what about the influence of God on our lives? Shouldn't He be influencing everything? Even the most mundane activities should be under His influence. So, my question for you is R U Influenced?
This special release is in honor of my father-in-law, James Marshall, who slipped into eternity through that portal we call death on this date two years ago…
I was standing in the stark
hospital room which was now bare and the painfully silent. All of his personal effects had been
removed. His lifeless body lay on
the bed awaiting funeral home personnel and one last ride. But then, his daughter saw them…his
shoes tucked neatly under his bed.
She was not going to let anyone forget his shoes. She grabbed them up and with them she
grabbed the memory of a great man.
When a man leaves this world there are few items that represent is
existence on this earth better than his shoes. Two years ago today, my father-in-law left his shoes and I
will spend the rest of my life trying to fill them for he lived his life ever
aware of the legacy he would one day leave. The neat thing is that I actually would count it an honor to
‘fill his shoes.’ Sadly, the shoes
many men and women will one day leave aren’t worth filling for they have not
understood that to live is to live toward a legacy built around a relationship
with God. With the help of the Holy Spirit, God expects us to do our best to
love him wholeheartedly, love and serve others, share our faith, and to live
obediently according to Scripture.
Consider this sober fact…one day your room will also fall eerily silent
and you will leave your shoes…will anyone want to fill them?
Feel free to pass this on to
a friend or make comments in the below.
Wade B. Mumm, PhD
How relevant! May we all live our lives to leave a legacy. If we all lived our lives focused on our realtionship with the Lord life as we know it would be transformed. May I leave shoes that my children and friends would be eager to fill. Lord let my life be a reflection of Yours as I endeavor to build life-giving relationships with the lost.
Posted by: Charles "Chuck" lefort | March 09, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Who you are speaks so loud I can't hear what you are saying. It's what you do day in and day out that leaves a legacy worth leaving. What a great story. Thank you Wade!
Posted by: David.Allen@allengroupe.com | March 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
That's really insightful. Personally, I have found it interesting that you can leave a legacy without ever meaning to. I used to think that your legacy was represented by all of the high accomplishments you made throughout your life (your education, family, house, car, church, community involvement, etc). Rather I have learned that it is merely what you leave behind as a standard of allowing your "yes" to actually mean "yes" and your "no" to actually mean "no" without gray area when saying "yes" to the right things and "no" to the wrong things. Thank you for sharing that story with us! :)
Posted by: Ariel White | March 11, 2009 at 07:57 AM
Ariel, thanks for sharing YOUR thoughts!
Posted by: wade | March 11, 2009 at 09:37 AM