Legacy

David’s Final Wisdom to Solomon

The words of David as he comes to the end of his life resonate with us because he is trying to pass on wisdom to his son. He is looking backward at his own life and looking forward at what lies ahead. We know he is looking forward because he speaks of God’s promise that there will always be a successor on the throne. But he is also looking back, rediscovering what will allow Solomon to be effective not only as a king but as a spiritual leader in Israel.

David tells Solomon to “be strong, show yourself a man.” Those words sound like taunting, but they simply mean “be courageous.” Be a man of courage. So David’s instruction is clear: be strong and courageous, and pay attention to the word of God. Interestingly, these same words were spoken to Joshua by God in Joshua chapter one. God told Joshua to be strong and courageous, not to let the word of Moses depart from him, and to study and meditate on it day and night so that he would have success.

David knew about Joshua. He knew about his own life. And he knew what it would take for Solomon to remain faithful to God. Solomon, as it turned out, did not stick with this plan. But could those words be any different for us? Could it not be that these same words apply to us today?

Be Strong, Courageous, and Stay in the Word

The strength David speaks of is not muscle strength. It is the strength of the heart—making sure that your heart is set in the right direction. Courage does not mean the absence of fear. It means that in the presence of fear, you do what you know is right to do. Be strong, be courageous, and stay in the word of God.

There is nothing more important than staying in the word. There is nothing going on in your life that is more important than you staying in the word. In our day and time, there are many ways to do it. You can listen while you drive to work. You can listen while you prepare for the day. You do not have to hold a physical object. It is possible every once in a while to hear Scripture right here. But what is going on in your life that keeps you from the word? I cannot imagine saying the word of God is important but I just do not have time. I cannot imagine that.

If we are going to be strong and courageous and stay in the word, we have to be committed to that. We have to give our time to that. Some of you read the Bible through each year. Some have read it through multiple times. Some of you just wait until you get here on Sunday. But there are too many challenges and obstacles in this world for you to put the word of God on a Sunday-only basis. David was not saying to pull out a scroll on holy days. He was calling for a consistent engagement with Scripture. We would be wise to listen to those words and give ourselves to the word of God.

Take Care of Your Business

In the next section of his charge to Solomon, David gives instructions about securing the kingdom. He wants Solomon to understand that there are rivals and that the kingdom needs to be secured. Two of the three people that David tells Solomon to deal with are people David could have handled before he died. He chose not to. He was king; he had the ability to handle it. But he chose to leave it for his son.

Do not leave undone what you need to take care of. As you go through life, make sure that your children know you love them. Do not leave them in doubt. Make sure you express what you need to express to your children, your parents, your grandparents, to whoever is important to you in life. Make sure they know. Do not leave it undone.

More practically, make sure your kids and grandkids know what you want regarding the disposition of your remains and your funeral. The more clarity you provide, the better off everybody is. Do not leave business undone. Take care of your business while you have the ability to take care of it. Make sure your family and friends know. Solomon would have to deal with rivals quickly, but David could have removed some of that burden by handling what was already in his power to handle. Do not make life harder for your children by leaving things undone.

The Legacy That Matters

David’s final words to Solomon apply to us. They resonate because they actually work. They do not keep you from challenges—Solomon faced many. They do not keep you from obstacles—Solomon faced plenty. But what they do is allow you to know that as you approach the end of life, you have done what you could to make the transition easier for your children, grandchildren, your family, and your friends. You have done what you could.

In the process of all of that, we just want people to see Jesus. If we are sticking in the word, then Jesus will come out. In those times when we are afraid, courage will be found because God will provide it. We can give credit to him. We just want Jesus to be seen. That is the legacy. David is passing on a legacy where he says, here is what I know will allow God to be seen. Because David cared only that God was seen.

When I was asked about my legacy as I retired from Freed-Hardeman, it was a question I had never contemplated. But I have had to do some introspection about it since. Every semester, at the end of the class, there is a student evaluation of both the class and the professor. There was one question on that evaluation that mattered to me most: Did your instructor reflect the character of Jesus? When I received my evaluations, I went to that question first. I wanted to know if my students thought they saw Jesus in my classroom. I would read their comments and take some to heart and some I would dismiss, but that was the question that mattered.

In 2018, Casting Crowns released a song called “Only Jesus.” The chorus says: “I don’t want to live a legacy, leave a legacy. I don’t care if they remember me. Only Jesus. I’ve only got one life to live. I’ll let every second point to him only. Only Jesus.”

When someone asked me about my legacy, I responded by asking if they remembered the person whose place I took twenty years ago. They said no. I said, “In four years, nobody will remember me either. And that’s the way it’s supposed to be.” What matters is whether your professor revealed the character of Jesus. That is how you know if your life matters. Does your life reflect Jesus?

When it is all said and done, when you come to the end, it is not about how well you cooked, how well you performed your job, or how much you accomplished globally. All that matters is making sure people see Jesus. I took Cliff Bennett’s place. When I came into my office for the first time, a colleague told me, “Cliff was a good man. You have big shoes to fill.” I did not know Cliff well. Now, twenty years later, he is forgotten. That is sobering, is it not?

It is not about the global scale or the impact you make on a global level. It is about the relationships you make and the influence you have and the people that you touch, so that all of them can see Jesus. Although they may forget your name and no longer remember what you taught them or who occupied that office twenty years ago, what matters is this: Did you reveal the character of Jesus when you did your work? When you interacted with family and neighbors, did they see Jesus?

The only one whose memory of you truly matters is the Father, and he has assured us he will never forget. Dozens and dozens of people have been a part of this congregation and have died. For some, their names still matter. For many of us, those names no longer have any meaning. Will you let your life reflect Jesus? Those of us who remember are here because those folks loved Jesus. I think David was passionate as he talked to his son, trying to assure him that what mattered in his life was for God to be seen. Will you allow God to be seen through you?

Follow Jesus

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