What Legacy Will We Leave?

"One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts." Psalm 145:4, ESV

When our hearts stop beating on this earth, it won’t be our possessions, titles, or accomplishments that speak for us, but our faith, our decisions, our words, and the love we sowed into others. Many confuse inheritance with legacy, but they are not the same. Inheritance is what we leave to others material goods; legacy is what we leave in others faith, values, example, a living testimony of what God did in us. Inheritance fades. Legacy endures.

So the real question is not:

What am I accumulating?

But rather:

What am I sowing?

Every day we are leaving a mark, whether we realize it or not. We are writing a story with our actions. Our children, grandchildren, disciples, students, friends… all are watching how we live. They learn from how we face difficulty, how we forgive, how we pray, how we love, how we serve God in the ordinary. It’s not about perfection, but about intention. A legacy is not built by accident it is built through small, consistent, purposeful decisions made in faith.

“We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” Psalm 78:4, ESV

This verse is a call to speak up. To not hide what God has done. To not cover up His faithfulness. If the Lord has transformed your life, answered your prayers, shown you His grace and power tell it. Not just to your children, but to an entire generation that needs to know that God is still real, still good, still powerful.

This call is not just for parents. It’s for anyone who has met Jesus. You don’t need a pulpit or a microphone to leave a legacy. All you need is a grateful heart, willing to speak of what God has done. The next generation doesn’t just need teachings they need real examples. They need to see living faith, hear testimonies that inspire, meet someone who genuinely reflects Christ.

The story of Dorcas (Acts 9:36–42) is a powerful example. She wasn’t a prophet or a recognized leader like Moses. Maybe she thought she wasn’t doing anything significant. But her life of service left an eternal mark. She was known for her practical love. She made tunics and garments for widows. When she died, people wept and gratefully showed what she had made for them. Her community pleaded for her life. That is legacy! Her name is in the Bible not because of fame, but because of faithfulness in the little things.

Sometimes we wonder, “Have I done anything that truly matters?” And if you're honest, you might feel like you haven’t built a legacy. Maybe you think, “I didn’t do it right with my kids…” But if you are alive today, it’s not too late. As long as you breathe, God can use your life to bless and impact others. You can start today, right where you are, with what you have. Just like Dorcas, you too can leave a legacy of love and service. You can be the one who prays, who listens, who lifts others up, who encourages. Someone who walks in integrity, sows faith, models forgiveness and compassion. Someone who reflects Christ in the midst of a culture desperately in need of His light.

“The righteous who walks in his integrity blessed are his children after him!”

Proverbs 20:7, ESV

Our children and grandchildren will inherit not just what we own, but above all, who we are. May our lives be remembered not for what we had, but for how we reflected Christ. And when we are gone, may others be able to say:

“Because of their example, I came to know the Lord.”

“Because of their love, I felt God near.”

“Their prayers carried me through.”

Today is the best day to begin writing that story.

What legacy are you leaving?

By Paulina Rodriguez.