At my great grandfather’s funeral, our family became aware of a medal given to him by the United States Army for his role in building runways during WWII. The medal was a great honor, and the family did not have any knowledge of it until that day.

But that medal was not the legacy my great grandfather left. His true legacy was found in his rundown trailer. As I was cleaning it out, I came across several Bibles he had used during his daily devotionals. They were sitting beside the chair where he drew his last breath. The Bible that made the greatest impression on me was brown, and its pages were so worn that they had expanded to twice their original size. Its cover was separated from the binding, and it was held together by duct tape.

My great grandfather’s legacy to his family was that he valued time with God in His word. When asked “Are you going to watch TV tonight?” he would often answer “No, I like to read my Bible.”

My great grandfather’s Bible reminds me of planned giving. The giver receives a blessing throughout their life, even when those around them have no idea of the legacy they are leaving behind. Often, the world has no idea about our true legacies until after we pass to our rest. May it be that the legacies we leave not only reflect our wishes but also reveal our relationship with our Savior throughout our lives.

Just as my great grandfather made it a part of his daily plan to spend time with God creating an unseen legacy, may we also make plans with our resources, laying up treasures in heaven and leaving an unseen legacy for unreached people around the world. 

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