I don’t know why, but I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy these days. What will people say about me someday?  It’s not an obsession, nor is it because I have any intention of going anywhere anytime soon.  But let’s face it… things happen all the time.

As a mom, when my kids would bring home their report cards, my first instinct was to scan the grades given to their subjects, but focus on the page that spoke to their character.  Were they trying their best? Were they kind to others?  Were they tardy to class?  Did they demonstrate good citizenship?  Excelling in these things meant more to me than where they ranked in Algebra II.  

My kids have all graduated now, with my last two about to earn their college degrees. My youngest daughter is about to embark on her career, going back to the same elementary school she once attended, only now as a student teacher.  It’s surreal sometimes to watch how God brings things full circle.

But He always does.

Maybe it’s because God is always teaching us something… Maybe it’s because the older I get, the more I am able to see things that we just gloss over when we’re young.  The truth is, grades do matter.  Not the kind you get on tests and quizzes.  But the kind you get in life.

This is the syllabus that we all get evaluated on:

Do you say what you mean, and mean what you say?

Do you tell the truth?

Do you honor your commitments?

Do you think about what you say before you say it?

Do you apologize when you’ve hurt someone?

Do you go the extra mile?  

Do you love wholeheartedly?

I have loved and admired people because they care about the little things.  You can count on them.  You know that if you called them when you needed an ear, they would pick up the phone.  They walk their talk.  They are grounded in who they are because they live with faith and integrity.

I have also known and loved others who have drifted away when life got hard.  Who put more emphasis on what was best for them, than what was best for others.  Who care more about how they look, having fun, or what was convenient than about doing the work.  Life is more about recess than learning to grow.

We all fail sometimes.

My point is, when we step back and look at the life we’ve lived, what grade will those we love give to us?  What will God say about our efforts?  Where can we do better?  How can we improve?

Life is not lived in a vacuum.  That hurt that happened to us as a kid, still lingers long past the time we should be over it.  The parent who left us, those words spoken in anger, that time someone we loved chose someone else… Everything is cumulative.  

But so are the things that make a difference to the positive.  It’s keeping your word, it’s remembering someone’s birthday, it’s being there when your kid needs to talk but doesn’t yet have the words to begin.  It’s reminding someone that you are there, that you are standing with them, that you are praying for them.  It’s asking, “How can I help?”

Everyday, we are writing our legacy of what people will say about us when we are gone.  And do you know what?  It’s never too late to raise your grade.

God’s classroom is always in session.  He wants for us to come in for help, for tutoring, for knowing that he’s a God of extra credit.  He’s easy to reach, His door is always open, and He never thinks we are dumb for asking questions. He wants us to learn from Him and not the world.  As a matter of fact, he gives us all the answers ahead of time.  They’re in the Book.  

Everything matters.

We all struggle sometimes.  We all make mistakes, get off track, make poor decisions.  But it's what we do with them, it’s how we make corrections, that determines whether we pass or fail.  

We can choose better.  We can remember that good character is not a multiple choice question.  We can look to the Teacher when we are struggling, and ask Him to guide us when we’re tempted or lost.  

We can focus on the other side of the report card, even when we’ve failed a test, and ask ourselves if we tried our best.

God is always teaching us something.  And I believe that these are the lessons that shape us, that determine our hearts, that will cause us to do the right thing even when the going is hard.

We can’t cheat at the little things and expect to pass the final exam.  

Know that everything we do means something to someone… 

The best answer, the greatest legacy, is always love.