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Lessons
for Posterity
According
to Randy Pausch, “At many colleges, professors are
asked to give a
‘last
lecture.’ In
this talk, they ruminate on what matters most to them.
As they speak, audiences mull the same
question: What wisdom would you impart to the
world if you knew it was your last chance?”
Pausch
was asked to give a “last lecture” at
Carnegie
Mellon
University, where he works as a professor in the
computer science department.
A few weeks later, Pausch was diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer and was told that he had only a few
months to live. His
opportunity to give a “last lecture” took on new
meaning, for in it he wanted to discuss some key
lessons that he particularly wanted to leave for his
three children.
The “last
lecture” that he presented in September 2007 has
been viewed online by millions of people.
An excerpt of his lecture may be read and his
entire last lecture may be viewed at Parade.com.
In
his “last lecture” Pausch gives several
very beneficial lessons like, “Dream Big,” “Dare
to Take a Risk,” “Make Time for What Matters,”
and “Let Kids Be Themselves.”
In sharing these lessons, Pausch often
illustrates the value of the lessons from his own
experiences. He
is also able to express these lessons in very
thoughtful ways.
Many have benefited by reading and listening to
Pausch lessons, and they (we) have been inspired by
his marvelous attitude and outlook on life. *
So,
what wisdom would YOU
impart to the world if you knew it was your last
chance?
There
was once a man named Solomon that gave what could be
called a
“last lecture.”
His “speech” is recorded in the Book of
Ecclesiastes in the Bible.
In it, Solomon tells of his experiences in life
and the conclusions that he has drawn along the way.
In the end, he reaches a grand conclusion – a
lesson that he wanted to leave for all that would come
after him:
“Let
us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God
and keep His commandments, For this is the whole duty
of man.
For
God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every
hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Heeding
Solomon’s wise words today will lead us to Christ
– God’s answer for the greatest enemy to the
abundant life now and eternal life to come.
The “enemy” is
our SIN (Romans 3:23).
But
God loves us so much that He gave His Son to die for
our sins so that
we might have forgiveness and the promise of living
eternally with Him
(Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23).
God will forgive those who believe
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance
(2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins
(Acts 2:38). He
will continue to cleanse those who continue to walk in
the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).
Lessons
that benefit us as we live our lives now are good.
But lessons that help us experience the
abundant life now and eternal life to come are the
GREATEST lessons of all!
Won’t
YOU prepare for life and
eternity – and influence generations to come to do
the same – through your trusting obedience to
Christ?
--
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
*
Information gleaned from “The Lessons I’m Leaving
Behind” by Randy Pausch in Parade Magazine (4/6/08).
See also www.parade.com
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