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| Photo by Christmas Stock Images |
I admit it. I had to Google YOLO to find out what it means. (I guess I really am almost 40.)
YOLO: You Only Live Once.
True enough. I really don’t want to debate reincarnation in this post, so let’s leave it at that for now.
You Only Live Once. Like many catch phrases, YOLO can inspire us.
Of course, some people just use it as an excuse to act like an idiot.
That’s the way with words. They’re powerful, but the direction of that power depends on the meaning we give them.
After reading the Facebook debates about YOLO – is it about getting drunk or skydiving, making your life count or experiencing everything possible - I began to wonder…is there a better motto to live by? One that captures the essence of YOLO but with more lasting impact?
Not that I’m a big “motto to live by” person. Because, really, most mottos are formulas and most formulas don’t survive the tests of life. If we had formulas, we wouldn’t need God.
Anyway…I was mulling it over (yes, I said “mulling”) and here’s what I got – I mean it literally popped into my head:
YOLOL. You Only Leave One Legacy.
Isn’t that a better perspective? If you’re really going to make this life count, forget about living for the moment, feeding your selfish desires, amassing a fortune or making a name for yourself. And consider your legacy.
I believe that as a culture we’re in danger of forgetting what it means to leave a legacy. We live selfishly, haphazardly blazing a trail that future generations will have to navigate. What are we leaving them? What will be their inheritance?
We spend money in the hopes of getting through the week, the month or the next debt ceiling increase.
We spend time – on the computer, the TV, at the amusement park (umm…guilty!) - because we’re tired and just want a little something for ourselves…right now.
We spend energy, talent and gifts and when we don’t see results, we get discouraged. Because that track plays over and over again in our minds: You’re wasting your time! Life is short! You Only Live Once!
But the thing is, making a difference takes time. Often more time than this life offers us. And that’s where the legacy part comes in.
Our family just spent a week in Disney World. Have you any idea of the reach, influence and extent of Walt Disney’s legacy? From animation to movies to music to clothing to Broadway to amusement parks to agriculture to technology to philanthropy to I don’t even know what else, Disney is doing it and they’re doing it all over the world.
Walt Disney started out with nothing and every time he found success, he leveraged it to try something new. For a wealthy man, he sure was broke a lot – mortgaging everything he and his family members had multiple times. He could have left his success in the bank, put up his feet and enjoyed the good life. But Walt never stopped dreaming, because he never stopped thinking about the future…and the generations to come.
In 1966, before construction began on Walt Disney World Resort, Walt died. He only lived once. But just look at his legacy.
Recently, a missionary visited our church. He and his family serve a people who are very “closed” to the gospel. And naturally, this family often feels discouraged. They live in a hut in Africa, walk to a well for water, grow vegetables, dig latrines, fight malaria, parasites, cultural challenges and spiritual battles. All for what? The villagers still practice Islam and witchcraft and polygamy and spousal abuse.
But they found encouragement in the sacrifices of other missionaries. Missionaries like Nate Saint, who, in the beginning of his mission to the Waodani people of Ecuador, was brutally murdered by the very ones he longed to reach with the gospel of Christ.
To some, Nate’s life and death may appear futile. But just look at his legacy: Despite their grief, Nate’s family stayed in Ecuador and today, approximately one in six Waodani are believers. Nate’s son, Steve, considers the Waodani his family.
And then there's Jesus.
Jesus lived a mere 30 something years on Earth. He was conceived out of wedlock, poor and nothing special to look at. He was tortured, nailed to a tree and mocked by those He came to save. He suffered the agony wrought by all humanity’s sin, endured the rejection of his Father and paid a penalty undeserved. He died a criminal’s death and was buried in a borrowed tomb.
He left behind a handful of confused followers including His mother, a formerly demon-possessed woman and some guys who were so freaked out for their own safety, they locked themselves away in the second floor of someone’s home.
At first glance this doesn’t look like a successful approach to the whole YOLO thing.
But just look at His legacy.
YOLOL. You only leave one legacy.
What’s yours going to be?
