Fall 2024

Daily Devotional - Wednesday August 16, 2017

“Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword…”Hebrews 11:36-38a

Your Legacy

Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds. These are some of the greatest home run hitters who ever lived. What do they have in common? All are members of the 500 home run club and all played the steroid era (the late 80’s until around 2006).

But which one of those names is not like the other? That’s right, Ken Griffey Jr.

All of the other names have confessed to or have evidence linking to taking steroids. However, Griffey has never been accussed or linked to performance enhancing drugs. Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and Rodriguez have left a tainted legacy. They will mostly be remembered for cheating the game, not for being great.

On June 2, 2010, Griffey retired from Major League Baseball. Much like Mike Schmidt, he seemingly lost his skills during the middle of a season and decided to gracefully bow out. Griffey finished with 630 home runs, fifth all-time. Baseball fans will remember him as the greatest of his generation and above all suspicion.

How will you be remembered? Will you leave this life as the one who pointed others to Jesus by the way you lived and a sacrifice like the believers in Hebrews 11? Or will your legacy be tainted, leaving people no reason to believe in Jesus at all?

— Aaron May