Final Instructions Before Departure

If you have traveled much you know the drill. Just before departure, your flight attendants will stand at the front of the cabin giving you the most important information you need to know as a passenger. Of course, the majority of us aren’t paying attention because the material is basically irrelevant as long as the flight is a smooth, crisis free.

Life is never a smooth, crisis free flight - that is one thing I’m pretty certain about. We will experience turbulence, engine failure, pilot error, technology breakdowns, hostile takeovers, rough landings, and sometimes we’ll even nosedive and crash. We need to pay a little more attention to those final instructions before departure. They tend to come by way of those "life attendants" who have been on the journey for some time.

What would you say if you knew it was going to be your last conversation? What would you write if you knew it was going to be your last letter? What would be the last thoughts and life lessons you would want to leave for your family, friends and others? What would your final instructions be?

These kinds of questions reveal our core values, purpose and passion. They remind us of what is truly essential – how we should spend our time, energy and resources. It is important to reflect on those questions now because most of us will never know when that final communication is going to come. And those who live according to their core values inevitably leave a lasting legacy.


Computer Science Professor Randy Pausch had an opportunity to reflect on these questions. On September 18, 2007 he stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver his last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told of the cancer that was devouring his pancreas and would claim his life in a matter of months. His lecture has become a phenomenon, as has the book he wrote based on the same principles, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities. Sadly, Randy lost his battle to pancreatic cancer on July 25th, 2008, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all, for generations to come.

Randy wasn’t approaching this lecture from a Christian perspective, but he still has a great deal of wisdom to share. You can watch the entire lecture below. Join us Sunday as we look to Hebrews 13 for wisdom and talk about Final Instructions Before Departure.

Shaken

Pursue peace with all and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. ~ Hebrews 12:14

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’ ~ Hebrews 12:28-29

Have you ever been in an earthquake? I never have, but I can imagine that a major earthquake is one of the most terrifying experiences one could go through. What was once solid and stable is violently shaking under your feet and everything on the surface of the ground could come down.

Even though I have never been through an actual earthquake, I know what it is like when my world is shaken and it feels like everything is falling down around me. It is in those moments that we realize that our foundation isn’t stable. There is only one solid foundation on which to build our life, as the Psalmist writes: As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? ~ Psalm 18:30-31

Gather with the ROC Flock this Sunday as we pursue holiness in light of our all-consuming God that we may receive a kingdom that can never be shaken. When your world is rocked make sure you plant your feet firmly on the Rock!

Legacy

On Monday our entertaining, larger than life bus driver shared some of the significant land marks and history of Dallas with us. As we neared our destination, she then regaled us with an inspirational tale.

In 1963 a southern lady in Dallas area went into a local bank and asked for a small business loan. We would not think much of it today, but in those days, especially in the south, women were limited in their employment options. They were told that they were welcome in the kitchen, laundry room and bedroom, but not the board room. The loan officer, in a "professional way", declined to offer her the money. The bank wasn’t willing to take a risk on this woman with "their" resources.

Undeterred, she came back the next day near lunch time, took off her shoes and refused to leave this banker’s office until he offered her the loan she needed. Knowing that she meant business, he finally relented. She took the money, and not only did she pay back the loan, but turned a few thousand dollars into a worldwide multi-billion dollar corporation. Of course, that southern lady was Mary Kay Ash.

For a few days now, I have been surrounded by 6,000+ Mary Kay women. I came to support my wife, Sara, as she was recognized this year on the main stage as a new Directory in the organization. This is one of their final summer seminars. For the last five weeks over 30,000 women from around the world have gathered in Dallas to be recognized and receive encouragement and training as they continue to expand their business. I have to be honest; being around this much estrogen is almost too much for one supportive husband. But, I am so proud of my wife and her accomplishment, and I would endure thousands more screaming women to show her my support.

Mary Kay has an amazing story and has left a powerful legacy. However, it is not the growth of one woman to millions of consultants or a few thousand to billions of dollars that is the most impressive. It is the culture she created that has left a lasting impact. She developed a business where women could keep the right priorities – “God first, family second and career third.” She emphasized those priorities throughout her life and modeled them in the way she lived. Mary Kay developed a corporate culture based on the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” She advocated “praising people to success” and encouraged millions of women to dream big dreams, set goals and to achieve them. She was a visionary and woman of great faith.

I have to say that all of this has been instilled in the DNA of these women. They are the most encouraging, positive group of people that I have ever been around. They honestly want to see others achieve their dreams and be the best that they can be. They keep the right priorities and follow the Golden Rule. Through their organization millions of dollars have been donated to charity and they seek to see positive changes happen in their communities. What a legacy.

What kind of legacy are you leaving? This Sunday we are going to be talking about the Faith of our Fathers – leaving a faith legacy. You won’t want to miss it. Join the ROC Flock for worship this week and lets learn together how to leave a lasting legacy of faith for our family. As these Mary Kay ladies would say - let's pass it on.