something worth leaving behind.

i know it's Christmastime and it's supposed to be a time for celebration, but celebration comes to a standstill when it's time to yet again bid goodbye to someone dear.

sitting in a small church hall in johor bahru, malaysia, listening to the pastor speak about my aunt's life this morning had a shiver running down my spine. he spoke of a woman, who battled cancer for the last 20 years, yet whose constant prayer was that those whom she loved would come to know the Truth, the Way and the Life, just as she did. he spoke of a woman who loved and honoured God even though the hand dealt to her in life was often marked with physical discomfort. the legacy she leaves behind is outstanding, overwhelming.

you know, the sheer amount of people i saw in that church hall was amazing. my aunt's friends from church, the friends of her children, who'd obviously loved her and her family as well and relatives who'd come from abroad, they all packed the hall to remember a life well lived for God.

if God were to take me away tonight, how would i be remembered? what would i leave behind for my family and friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ to remember me by?

would you remember me as someone generous, selfless and loving? or would your mental image of me be of a selfish person, unwilling to give and filled with hatred? would i be remembered as a faithful servant of God, a woman whose life was devoted to worshipping and serving Christ?

it's Christmastime, and i can't help thinking likewise, of the legacy Jesus' 33 years on earth left behind. when He ascended to heaven to be with the Father, what did His own disciples remember Him as?

a loving friend, a brother, a wise teacher, a companion, a man who loved without discrimination, a man who didn't judge, a man who showed them truth and meaning in life.

Jesus left behind a beautiful legacy for us to follow in. my aunt did so as she departed from this place and went to be with Jesus in a place where there's no more chemotherapy, no more discomfort and no more pain.

and if we too, follow in Jesus' footsteps, the legacy we leave behind us when we go, will be something worth leaving behind.