Leaving a Legacy
I remember having a meeting with an older missionary a few years ago in my office. She was an acquaintance of mine and we were just catching up. She told me how she had faithfully served the Lord for many years and that, as she begins to prepare for retirement, she was seeking out what her legacy will be.
Honestly, I didn’t really know what to say. The whole conversation seemed to be rather self-indulging. I couldn’t imagine a scenario where God was glorified with one of His servants trying to find a way to “leave their mark” on a ministry. It’s true, good or bad, we all leave our marks on a ministry, but setting out to make sure someone remembered our contribution intentionally just seemed inappropriate.
I walked this missionary to the room adjacent to my office and pointed to the wall of portraits. Each picture depicts the former SLM Directors since its founding. Most had short tenures as director, except for my grandfather, Glenn Dix, who was Director for 39 years. The rest were seven years or less. I’m up to 10 already, but I don’t have a picture up yet. All left their mark on SLM, some more profound than others due to the length of their leadership, but not one seemed preoccupied with being recognized.
I shared with this missionary that my goal and ambition is that I be faithful to the task God has presented me with. That if I am a “success” at the end of my life, that not I, but a group of faithful disciples will be effectively leading SLM and ministries around the world, and that the real work of discipleship is being carried out by those I have invested my time in.
I have no desire that people remember me when I am gone, but I hope that the way I spent my life would have an ongoing impact. I love to get calls from people with a similar desire. Not all of us have been called to serve as missionaries; some God has called to make it possible for others to serve.
Occasionally, people call SLM looking to make sure that the hard work they invested in for years before retirement will be made available to SLM after their passing. They desire that their last gift, would be a lasting gift, one that would continue to further the ministry they have partnered with for many years. Brian Thigpen, our CFO, and I love to meet these people, sometimes for the very first time. It comes as such an encouragement to us, and as a relief to those who needed some advice.
Every year that I have been here, such a gift, through the passing of one of our partners, has made it possible for SLM to meet its fiduciary obligations as well as meeting the needs of our missionaries. They have also made substantial headway on, if not completely funding, a project.
Just a few months ago, I got off the phone with a dear and generous supporter of many of our Branches, Ms. “C.” She loved for my wife, Brenda, and I to visit and tell her all that God was doing. It made her so sad that COVID prevented us from seeing her, and taking her out to her favorite fancy restaurant, the Chickfil-A Dwarf House in town, but she was very frail. So, I would call often, particularly on a long drive, and just catch up.
A month earlier, I called and we talked about a country in South America that was facing some challenges. We had to cut it short as she wasn’t feeling well. Less than a month later, her attorney called and informed us of her passing and of a gift she was leaving to SLM.
When her gift arrived, I knew exactly where she would have wanted to invest her last treasure on earth, and she fully funded the building of a Branch office that we had discussed in our last call.
She, like many others, will have a legacy in the fabric of the tapestry of the ministry of SLM, one strand among many, but each thread contributing to the whole. Thank you, Ms. “C,” and the many others over our history for giving such “good and perfect” gifts.
