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Living From a Legacy

Everyone knows what a bucket list is. If you don’t, it’s simply a list of things you’d like to do before you ‘kick the bucket’. Most of us have things we’d like to do before we die. The list varies from cross country motorcycle trips to learning a musical instrument; from skydiving to visiting the world’s greatest wonders; from learning to surf to watching the 100 greatest movies of all times.

The thing is most buckets are insignificant. That’s probably why they don’t make the list of the world’s wonders… but mountains do. A bucket can easily be kicked, surprisingly so, without notice or warning. It can also be picked up easily, placed on a shelf with not too much effort, and then forgotten without a second thought. But a mountain can be seen throughout generations. Nobody forgets the mountain they climbed or the mountain they live next to. Mountains make memories that stand firm through the ages. Caleb did not have a bucket list. This man had a mountain list! What’s the difference?

A bucket list are things you do for yourself before you die. A mountain list consists of things we pursue with an eternal focus. The things we can achieve that will last over multiple lifetimes. Bucket lists focus on what we can get ourselves. Mountain lists focus on what we give others. Caleb had a mountain list, not a delayed mid-life crises or stubborn old age (well maybe a little stubborn old age).

When we think of strong, hard-core, aged heroes, our thoughts might go to guys like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, or Chuck Norris. All these guys are pushing towards their 70’s or 80’s and are still making action films. But Caleb, seeking to battle giants for cities in a country full of hills and rough terrain, were not in it for the show. He was not a film star, but an eternal star. A stalwart for God’s Kingdom. The real man’s deal.

Caleb was not simply just going to leave a legacy for the next generation. He was going to live his legacy to see things through for those who would follow. 45-years earlier he led a life building towards a legacy. At 85, this battle-hardened mountain man was still living from a legacy God set in motion decades earlier. Caleb understood his role among God’s people as a warrior and a leader. He remembered his roots as a son of the Living God, hailing from the tribe of Judah. He held onto what he set out to do in the first place, not to be deterred. Still a living legend among his (much younger) troops. Living from a legacy – into eternity!

Now, it’s important to understand your life’s seasons as well. If you’re still choosing what you’ll do after high school, you’re not living from but still leading towards a legacy. You might need an aged Caleb or Joshua to impart in you. But, if you’ve aged already, know your role. You yourself might not be in the fight anymore, but as part of your legacy you are the one imparting the fight to others. Whatever stage you’re in, be intentional and stay involved. Don’t abdicate your role in God’s Kingdom! Don’t say you had your share, now you’re done! Don’t wait until someday to step-up. Keep your eyes on the long haul, serving others, staying faithful, and putting in the hard work while you’re still young. Keep pursuing your wife, being available to your children, fighting for your friends and building a future for others, even as you grow old.

Set your sights on the mountains and leave behind the buckets. Life is not about your own gain, but God’s glory – including the growth and development of others. So, choose your battles and take the mountains that stand the test of time. And let’s remember the words of the General Maximus in the film Gladiator: “Brothers. What we do in life, echoes in eternity.”

So, are you going to add more to your bucket list, or are you going to build on your mountain list and ensure an eternal legacy instead?