A given day comes and goes. An event starts and finishes. A lifetime is a letter that can be read for eternity. A lifetime leaves a legacy.
In the scope of time, children are letters written by their parents to future generations. A life is a work of art initiated through parental love. Parents start the letter and the child completes it by how they live their lives and what they do with it. God knows this to be true, which is one reason He sent Jesus as a baby.
In Biblical days, letters of recommendation were written to authenticate someone’s authority and character. In 2016, it’s a much smaller world. Technology has enabled us to gather information but it doesn’t provide the clarity that comes over time with your life. Paul addressed this topic straight up thousands of years ago. “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:2-3.
Somewhere in the last few days and weeks, the whole world was reminded that God is a loving Father. We celebrate the Son’s birthday but there was a life that left a legacy of love, obedience and unwavering faith to the path His Father set for him. We teach what we believe, we reproduce what we are. That’s heavy but critical stuff to remember as a parent. We are all children of our parents. It begs the question; How is the letter of YOUR life reading?
In the book of Luke, the story is told that before Jesus was born a guy named Zechariah was told that against all odds he was going to become a dad very late in life. In fact, his life would be best remembered by the fact his son, John the Baptist, would be a great man of God. In describing Zack’s yet to be born son, an angel appeared to him and said the boy would “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17.
John the Baptist had righteous parents. Maybe yours were and maybe they weren’t. John’s parents knew their kid was part of a bigger letter from God, written at a point in time that would shape eternity. Every parent should know that God gives us the same responsibility. Christmas reminds us of the fallacy of not being able to pick your parents. Regardless of our Earthly fathers, we all have and can choose a heavenly Father. Your kids can do the same. God allows us to exercise faith and obedience in determining how the letter of our lives will read and we will be remembered.
If you read the story like reading it for the first time, it’s no surprise Zechariah responded with a question. “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years?” For that short momentary lack of faith, Zechariah was struck dumb and couldn’t speak until the day it happened. With God anything is possible. What God promises, He delivers. Our responsibility is to believe and not doubt. If you are a follower of Christ, doubt is like trying to erase the letter of recommendation the Holy Spirit is writing about YOU.
Christmas celebrates the first event in the book of the life of Jesus Christ. The day comes and goes but His life is the reason the celebration lasts a season and not a day. Christmas is not a feeling or an emotion, it is a marker for a legacy, a state of heart and mind.
I can’t even begin to do justice and write a Christmas blog. How do you write about unfailing love and a father’s gift of a child? How do you write about a lifetime of faithfulness and obedience to your parents? Luke mentioned it again in chapter 2 verse 51 and 52, “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Are WE growing in obedience, wisdom and stature with God and men?
Yes, all this makes me think about the letter my own life is writing, but only for a minute. I’m overwhelmed and awed by that little baby that was born in the manger. I’m humbled by a life that was perfect and true. I’m almost struck dumb by what I can only bear witness to and not duplicate. And in the end, I’m thankful for the example of the Father and His Son.
I’m a child of Parks and LaVerne. I’m also an adopted son of my heavenly Father. My family celebrated my brother’s birthday yesterday. The day came and went. Today we will celebrate his life. We will again tomorrow as well. His life has left us all a legacy. Your life is leaving a legacy. Merry Christmas.