Temporary Accolades

This morning I heard that Penn State is removing the statue of former Coach Joe Paterno from its campus stadium.  The news is bitter sweet. 

While my position on the issue is irrelevant, my position on world accolades is the issue.  We strive and work so hard to build a legacy that will remain long after we are gone and in this instance, it was lost in an instant. 

The issue here is not the legacy, it is responsibility.  The article read "Paterno's statue and legacy came under fire..."  The things and accomplishments of this world are excatly that...of this world.  Joe Paterno lost his life to cancer a few months ago never fully knowing the demise of his legacy. 

He coached five undefeated teams, won major bowl games was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach, but in 2011 he make a fateful mistake that cost much more than the loss of a statue.

In 1987, I won the 100 Club Officer of the Year award.  I received a Rolex as the award.  Eight years later, the watch was missing from my own home.  While I have my suspicions as to what came of the watch, it does not lessen the saddness of having lost it.  The individual that "took" it has no idea what that meant to me.  Not necessarily the watch, but the work, the reputation and the affirmation it represented for me.

So many times we focus on the things of this world.  We work hard to build up our legacy, our reputation, our record, our name only to find that at the end, it can leave us empty.  In the process, there is always a cost.  Whether that cost is something we have to give up, or the cost is at someone else's expense.  To some, it is a cost that can never be compensated.

In 1998, I gave my life over to Christ.  I began a relationship with Him and walk in the Light of His Word.  My priorities changes when I realized "I am His" and my worth and affirmation come through Him. I pray that the legacy I leave is one not of worldy accomplishments but of a love for the God I serve. 

It is time to take our eyes off the temporary pleasures, accomplishments, and satisfactions of life.  One day we will come before our God and have to answer for our actions, how we used our gifts, and what we contributed to society.  Showing a Rolex watch won't mean a thing.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-26 If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross  and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  What good would it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 

When that happens, no one can tarnish our name....for we are His!  While recognition of accomplishments are validating, remember...they are temporary accolades, we aim for permanent eternal residency.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:18