Most American Presidents intend to be buried in their presidential libraries or in prestigious cemeteries, but when Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of one hundred, he was laid to rest beside his wife in his little town of Plains, Georgia. He never lost his hometown pride, and even in death he wanted his town to prosper through tourism involving his lifelong home and presidency. He once explained, “Plains is special to us. I could be buried in Arlington Cemetery or wherever I want, but my wife was born here and I was born here. Plains is where our hearts have always been.”¹

People are proud of where they come from, their country, state, town, school. At political events in the United States people sing that they are proud to be an American. And other countries are equally proud of their distinctive culture and heritage too. We wear t-shirts boasting our hometowns, cities, and universities. We’re proud of who we are and where we come from. It’s not necessarily a wrongful pride. It’s largely an attitude of thanksgiving for our background, heritage, and common experiences.

For the Christian, there’s a kind of sanctified pride connected with our testimony and walk with the Lord. The Bible says, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

The legacy we leave behind begins with our testimony, a godly boastfulness of knowing Jesus, and our living a life that glorifies Him. The testimony you leave behind will likely affect those closest to you: your family, spouse, children, coworkers, and neighbors. It can also affect people you never even meet. Jesus told us if and when we’re persecuted for our faith, to be “a testimony to them” (Matthew 10:18). In the Last Days, He said, there would be many difficult challenges for believers, but He said, “It will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony” (Luke 21:13).

Whether the times are good or bad, we can determine in our hearts to leave behind the testimony of the goodness of Jesus Christ. We can do it by clinging to the words, the ways, and the work of our Lord Jesus.

A Testimony That Reveals the Words of Jesus

People are listening to what you say. Do your words reflect Jesus? Henry Blackaby’s mother was a one-room-schoolhouse teacher who worked alongside her husband planting churches. Blackaby wrote, “My mother was always quoting Scripture. For every question, she knew a Scripture; for every problem, there was a favorite verse. She was faithful in prayer, and we often heard her praying out loud for her family, the missionaries, the troops during World War II, and God’s work in our town.”²

The Bible says, “You must teach [God’s commands] to your children and talk about them when you are at home or out for a walk; at bedtime and the first thing in the morning” (Deuteronomy 6:7, TLB).

We can do that better if we’ll devote five minutes each day during our quiet time or daily devotions to working on memorizing a verse of Scripture. You can memorize a whole chapter of the Bible if you want to. For example, by the end of this month you could easily know Psalm 117—the shortest chapter in the Bible: Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!

How wonderful if our family and friends said about us what Henry Blackaby said about his mother, that we had a Bible verse for every situation and we were always quoting God’s Word!

A Testimony That Reveals the Ways of Jesus

As much as I believe we should quote Scripture and weave Bible verses into our conversation, it will be tragically counterproductive if we don’t live an increasingly Christlike life. Lots of folks have been damaged by people who quote the Bible but don’t live it. People are watching what you do, how you act, and how you react to life. We have to ask ourselves if our actions reflect Jesus.

Michael Oh is a Korean American missionary statesman who was mentored by the famed British pastor John Stott. “I first met Uncle John 25 years ago while I was a student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where I had the unexpected blessing of lunch with him. It was like meeting a real-life hero,” Oh recalls. “Not a man of fame and fortune, but a godly, wise, and humble servant.”

Later, Michael asked a mutual friend about John Stott’s habits, friendships, and impressions. The man replied, “He was the most Christlike man I ever knew.”³

Fame and fortune are usually poor legacies. But knowing the ways of Jesus and growing more wise, godly, and humble—that’s a world-effecting, life-changing legacy.

A Testimony That Reveals the Work of Jesus

People are watching how God has worked and is working in your life. They see your strengths and weaknesses, your growth, your humility. They notice how you’re trusting in God, and they will be stimulated by your labor for the Lord. In the Old Testament, Aaron organized the priests and appointed “each of them to his service and his task” (Numbers 4:19). The leader Nehemiah organized his workers and “assigned them duties, each to his own task” (Nehemiah 13:30, NIV). Jesus told us He would allocate our work, “each with [our own] assigned task” (Mark 13:34, NIV). And the apostle Paul wrote that we are all servants “as the Lord has assigned to each his task” (1 Corinthians 3:5, NIV).

Few Christians will end up in a professional, paid ministry role or be employed on the staff of a church or missions organization. But your background, gifts, personality, and skills are God’s gift to you for the doing of the personal ministry He assigns. As He works in our hearts, we work out His grace through service.

George Dennehy was born without arms and placed in a Romanian orphanage where, at the age of sixteen months, he only weighed nine pounds. The doctor hung a death certificate on his crib, telling the nurses to fill in the date when the time came. But a Christian couple in Connecticut adopted George. His early life was hard, but along the way he learned to play music with his toes and feet. He grew proficient on the cello, piano, and electric bass.

Now he travels widely, blessing audiences with his music. He speaks about his own adoption story and how it saved his life both physically and spiritually. He also focuses on the miracle of adoption and our adoption into God’s family through Jesus Christ.⁴

Nobody else can do what George does, but you have your own story, your own legacy, your own work, and your own impact.

Does your authenticity reflect Jesus? A testimony isn’t simply a story you share; it is a life you live. In Acts 22, the apostle Paul shared his own story, saying, “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight’” (verses 12-13). Paul was giving a verbal testimony, but he spoke of the man who led him to Jesus as “having a good testimony.” In other words, Ananias’ life was a walking, talking consistent testimony of trust in Jesus.

It’s not just what you say; it’s who you are. Your testimony is based on your relationship with God and how this is demonstrated in your life. The words of Jesus should fill our minds and mouths; the ways of Jesus should guide our ethics, reactions, and demeanor; and the work of Jesus should be on full display both within and through us. Brennan Manning wrote, “Authentic Christianity should lead to maturity, personality, and reality. It should fashion whole men and women living lives of love and communion.”⁵

None of us can do this in our own strength. But as we ask God for His strength, He will enable us to leave behind the memorial of a Christ-focused life. He will establish your life as a testimony for His glory.

Citations:

¹ Elliot Minor, “Carter’s Hometown Happy With Burial Plan,” The Associated Press, January 10, 2007.

2 Henry Blackaby and Carry Blackaby Webb, Prepared to Be God’s Vessel (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2006), 128.

3 Michael Oh, “The Head and Heart of the Lausanne Movement,” Lausanne Movement, April 16, 2021.

4 “George Dennehy,” Premiere Speakers Bureau.

⁵ Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel (Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah Books, 2005).