Before you get stuck into reading this blog I’d love you to pause and have a think about the best gift that you have been given that’s made a long term difference to your life. For example, the best gift to myself, from myself this year was a waterproof puffa jacket. We were heading into the tier system of lockdown and I realised my social life was about to become exclusively an outdoor activity.
This puffa jacket gift to myself changed the game for my social life, I was warm, I was dry and I felt 10/10. (Check the pic to see the coat in action, it was raining so we moved brunch to our car boots)
This jacket wasn’t a one-off gift it was a gift every time I headed out, rain, snow or shine to hang out with pals - it was a gift (From me to me) that had a lasting impact throughout the winter. I also raved about this coat to all my pals, two of my mates and my mum now own variations of my puffa jacket, it wasn’t just a gift for me!
If you google legacy a consistent word used to define legacy as a gift left to someone. Here is where my jacket analogy falls apart a little as it was a gift to myself.
I want to challenge you as you head to uni to think beyond yourself, what legacy or gift for others will you leave at Uni?
Perhaps it’s the gift of prayer, what difference could your prayers make to university culture.
Perhaps it’s a choice to live sustainably as a student and lead others in the same way, your gift to others massively outliving you and your time at university.
Maybe your gift or legacy could be one of kindness and grace in competitive sports teams, could your gift be shifting culture in sports teams?
Maybe your gift is a choice not to gossip, to speak truth to use kind words, to be generous with
Heading to uni is a massive step and there is so much to do to prepare for uni, let alone thinking about what legacy you will leave, but I want to challenge you, to pause and to think through who do you want to be and what legacy or gift do you want to leave at university. You will leave a legacy in your time at uni, take time to choose what it might be.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to bring hope and to be light. In Matthew 5 it says:
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
How can you choose to leave a legacy of light and hope, to see more of God’s kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven in your time at uni?
If, like me, you had the hamilton soundtrack on repeat I’m sure you can no longer hear the word legacy without wanting to sing “Legacy, what is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in the garden you don’t get to see”. I love this lyric, legacy is so much bigger than ourselves, it is something that will go way beyond us, it is a gift for others. As you begin university life, make an active choice to sow the seeds you want to see grow, seeds of life hope and light.
