Fulfill your ministry.
—2 Timothy 4:5
Paul’s life was coming to an end: “The time for my departure is near” (2 Tm 4:6). He wanted Timothy, his protégé, to live responsibly, reminding him of legacies, both harmful and helpful.
He mentioned Phygelus, Hermogenes, Hymenaeus, Philetus, Demas, and Alexander, who left legacies of desertion, false teaching, and opposition to the apostle and the gospel (2 Tm 1:15, 2:17–18, 4:10, 14).
But he also saluted those who left legacies that were beautiful and beneficial: Lois, Eunice, and Onesiphorus (2 Tm 1: 5, 16–17). And in Romans 16:1–15, he left a list of fondly remembered friends.
Like Paul, our lives are heading to an end, when the final deposit of our legacy will have been made. Our decisions and deeds will follow us (Rv 14:13).
Our legacy will be
positive or negative.