The Bucket List, a movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, is about two terminally ill men fulfilling a wish list of things to do before they “kick the bucket.” The two men, distinctly different, bond when they are both forced to share a room.
Blue-collar mechanic Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) and billionaire health care magnate Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) meet after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Carter and Cole manage to find common ground when Cole discovers a discarded “bucket list” draft Carter has written. Carter discards the list after hearing he has less than a year to live, but Carter offers to finance all the expenses if they do it together.
What follows is an adventure of both men fulfilling the items on the list. There are tears, joy, and encouragement from each other. Both Carter and Cole leave everything behind in their quest to find fulfillment in accomplishing everything on their list.
As men, we can understand the idea of wanting to “do it all before we die.” We tend to believe this life is all we have, and we need to make the best of it. We’re taught to believe we’re failures if we don’t leave a fortune to our loved ones, build monuments or, “make a name” for ourselves.
Although these things are not bad, as Christain men, they should not be our primary goal. Scripture tells us that our legacy is defined by what we will do to help others discover eternal salvation and spiritual growth. Leaving a legacy is about bringing glory to God and as a result, storing up treasures in heaven. Everything you do should seek to accomplish this. Today take inventory of how you’re investing your time and resources.
Daily Directive:
Answer and Journal the Following
Read:
Read and meditate on 1 Timothy 6:17-19.
Pray:
What is your definition of leaving a legacy and how does this compare to the passage? Pray and ask God for what kind of a legacy you should leave behind.
Meditate / Make It Real:
Determine what steps you will take to leave a legacy and what that looks like in the future.
Share / Show:
Share and show what you’ve learned with someone else.