Leave a legacy

DW and I went to a weekday retreat at Camp Peniel, Monday thru Thursday.

Small world department: The pastor leading our retreat is the pastor of the church where my Greek professor goes. So I left after my Monday night Greek class to get to camp around 2 PM in the morning to see Pastor Bruce Baumgartner the pastor of his church.

He spoke quite a bit about Dallas Theological Society and various professors that I know by reputation. I have read some of their books too.

He spoke on Leaving a Legacy. It was pretty good, if short. Most of the time is taken up in recreation, sleeping, or eating.

I wonder if I have a legacy. I really love and am proud of my kids. Is that my legacy? I sometimes hope some of these blog entries might be compiled into a book, if it is any good. Some of it is OK. That would be up to someone else, not me.

We read in 2 Timothy. This a good place to look for legacy in the Bible. Paul hoped Timothy was part of his legacy. He hoped Timothy would take over his churches after he was gone. Paul felt he was about to be executed by Nero. Little is actually known about Paul's death but we think he was killed by Nero. We are not sure why he was rearrested after the first time recounted in Acts.

Does our life consistently show what we profess?

Paul mentions three examples of hard workers: soldier, farmer, and athlete. Laziness is not a Christian virtue!

Paul repeatedly mentions suffering to Timothy. A disciple must expect suffering. We must not be surprised nor get discouraged when things get hard. People may misjudge us.

Take life seriously but do not take yourself too seriously.

Mark 14 "Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful in a few things, I will give you responsible for many." What does it mean to be faithful in a few things? Are we faithful in a few things?

There should be no celebrities in Christianity. Paul would not have considered himself a celebrity. He worked hard, expecting his recognition to come from God, not from man.