By: Kyle Dickerson
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9
What will be said of us when it is all said and done? The question of legacy is complex because it causes us to look in the mirror and assess the places and people in which we invest our resources, including our time, talent, and treasure. It’s also complex because of the nebulous nature of legacy: how do you measure legacy or impact?
When we come to difficult or complex realities, approaching them can be paralyzing. I am reminded of the national holiday we celebrated intentionally in high school, Pi Day. One of the celebrations was a competition for students to see who could memorize as many digits of Pi as possible. As you know, Pi is an infinite irrational number, meaning it goes on forever. The Guinness World Record holder memorized the number up to 70,000 digits! What a number! As vast as the number is, you and I probably remember it as 3.14 or even simpler as π. What if the complex question of legacy can be summed up in similarly simple terms?
At the risk of seeming to make a complex question overly simple, one way to project and quantify future legacy is through a single input: SERVICE. Put simply, service in a particular space over time is a guaranteed way to leave a positive legacy behind you.
You may know that the OrthoIndy YMCA has volunteer Chaplains who serve the Y. As Chaplains, our desire is to implement three values into everything we do: Love, Care and Serve. We believe that these three (not the least of which is care), embody a pathway forward to create the type of future we want to leave behind.
The Bible reflects that service to our neighbors out of love is one of the highest goods. Jesus, himself, emphasizes the importance of serving by saying “ the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Service is important, but sacrificial service marks the pathway toward legacy.
Let this article serve as an invitation to service. An invitation to challenging work? Yes. But also, an invitation to deep and meaningful impact that will last. Though sacrificial service is challenging work, it is not impossible. Serve where you are. Serve your family and friends, your neighbors in need, the organizations you are already a part of, your school district, your church or other religious organizations. Finally, look for opportunities to serve one another at your local YMCA! Together as we serve, not for today’s results, but for lasting impact, we will build and find ourselves living in the legacy we want, now. Serving that leads to legacy. Maybe it is as easy as π.
