Living the Legacy

Trying to sort out my thoughts on this, I started asking myself about the most treasured possessions left to me by my own grandfathers. For the sake of time and space, I'll just share with you about my maternal grandfather, Bert Whisnand. A former Texas Ranger and deputy sheriff of Dallas County, he spent his entire life as a peace officer. He rose every morning at 5 a.m., smoked a cigarette and drank a coke while sitting on the back steps of their small brick home, and then worked long and hard hours serving the people of Texas. He moonlighted as a private investigator in order to earn enough money to send my mother to college. In the law enforcement community he was well-known and respected, somewhat celebrated because of his arrest of Clyde Barrow in the 1920's. He was in church every Sunday, his firearm discreetly hidden by the brown suit jacket he always wore.

I was 19 when he died. He left behind virtually nothing of monetary value. One of my brothers has his Texas Ranger badge, a cousin has his pistol. My sole inheritance from him is a stag-handled knife sharpener that I saw him use many times. It is probably worth $20 in an antique store, but it is one of my most treasured possessions.

And so what is the legacy he left behind? It is a life well-lived, a life distinguished by hard work, sacrifice, courage, and faithfulness. His spirit has guided me many times during the past 40 years. On those occasions when I have been weary or afraid or discouraged, I have reminded myself of the example of my grandfather and the fact that his blood courses through my veins. No amount of money could be more valuable to me than that.

When I leave this earth I hope to leave some money behind for Liam. I would be pleased if my money could help him get an education and a good start in life. But I harbor no illusions about what will be really important to him about his grandfather. It will not be about how much money I leave him, but about the example of my life and the commitments that I made.

I hope that one day he will walk his own children down the aisle of our new sanctuary, explaining that his "Daddy Don and Baba" were part of a large number of people who worked hard and courageously in order to leave this ministry behind for them. I hope that he will know to tell them that this is what we stood for, and that it is more important than any amount of money. I hope that, on those occasions when he is weary or afraid or discouraged, he will think about me and our church and the legacy that we left behind.

Don Underwood