A Life Well Lived – Using Our Time and Influence for Eternal Impact

by Jimmy Rousey

My brother recently passed away, and his funeral gave me new insight into his life. 

The crowd was large, and people waited over two hours to express their sympathy to the family. I heard stories from his neighbors about how he would mow their lawns right before he knew they would return from a trip or vacation. His friends told us of the impact he had on their lives through his consistent kindness. I also thought of his many mission trips to Poland, Russia, and Eastern Kentucky. The people he served there won't know of his passing, but perhaps his life influenced them and their families.

In talking to these friends and neighbors, I realized this truth: Each of our lives is reflected in the people we interact with here on earth and have left behind.

When we are gone, our legacy can continue in the businesses we built or the money we earned, but the biggest impact is in the lives of those we interacted with. A small interaction could profoundly impact the other person, and the change in their life could be reflected through their children, grandchildren, and so on. 

My grandfather drove a church bus for over 20 years. He drove elderly church members and children to First Baptist Church in Danville, and he never missed a Sunday. Though some might look at this role as small or insignificant, he touched countless lives through the simple act of driving people to church. His commitment and dedication certainly influenced me.

The impact of a life well lived is far more significant than anything we will ever see or know. The average person meets about 10,000 people in their lifetime. From deep friendships formed while young to small interactions at a restaurant or grocery store, we have vast potential for having an impact on others.

"To the world, you might be one person, but to one person, you might be the world." – Dr. Suess

An intern I mentor in our business could witness how we strive to run our company—with godly integrity and generosity. They might carry those values with them into their future workplace or company, impacting their team members and employees. Perhaps they will be inspired to live out those same values at work and home. We have seen the power and impact businesses and corporations have, for good or bad. I believe that if a spirit of generosity swept through our current marketplace and economy, many problems and needs in our country and around the world would be solved. 

A team member might join our company simply to receive a paycheck. Still, they also steadily receive care, compassion, and opportunities to grow spiritually, professionally, and emotionally. We offer unique benefits and team care opportunities that empower team members to show the same care and generosity towards others. These benefits include mission trip assistance, counseling services, spiritual resources, adoption assistance, scholarships, donation matches, and more. We believe that these opportunities have a lasting impact on our team members and their families.

A customer looking for a home loan might receive guidance and wisdom from a loan officer that another bank doesn't provide. For example, we encourage our customers to pay off loans quickly, even though we make more money when the loan is owed longer. Even as a financial institution, we want our customers to find financial freedom because:

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." – Proverbs 22:7

This perspective could set that customer on the path to financial freedom and stability, creating an example for their children and breaking generational cycles of debt and bad financial habits. What impact will this have as that customer's children become adults and have children of their own?

As a leader of our company, I understand my influence on customers, team members, and community members. The words of Luke 12:48 explain the weight of this responsibility:

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

No matter the role, many of us probably have more influence on others than we realize. However, we must use our time and influence wisely. Influence is just like time—if you don't use it, you lose it.

A person must strategically think about how they are using their influence, asking themselves questions such as: Am I encouraging those around me to show love, humility, generosity, and kindness, or do I often overlook my time spent with others to focus on the next item in my schedule? Am I focused on the difference I can make in the lives of others or just my business and personal legacy?

I see so many people striving for a legacy in today's world, both through vain ambitions and good acts like generosity and advocacy. Yet I know that, generations from now, my business will eventually be forgotten. Buildings, parks, or projects I donated to that bear our company's name will be torn down, paved over, or lost, as we are reminded of in Matthew 6:20:

"Store your treasures in heaven, where moth and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal."

My only eternal, lasting legacy is the impact I have on others. My daily, personal interactions are the starting point to this impact. I can focus on the next deal or investment, forgetting how important a small act of kindness can be, or I can look at another person and ask myself: How will I be reflected in them? As the hurried boss? The commanding leader? The pressuring salesman? Or as a trusted advisor, mentor, or friend who took time to ask about their family, listen to them, and offer advice and care?

In the corporate world especially, I often witness people trying to climb the ladder of success. As the saying goes, they get to the top and realize the ladder has been leaning against the wrong wall. While they spent all their time working and striving for worldly success in business, they neglected their family or other more lasting priorities. 

Our spiritual well-being and the time we invest in our families are the most important walls we can lean our ladders on. When we get to the top, we will see a life well lived, with our kindness, love, and generosity reflected in those around us. 

How do we live this way? The answer is to live with intentionality. This allows us to finish the race of life in the way we want to. Without intentionality, it can be all too easy to work a few more hours each day, skip that family vacation, or focus on appearing successful rather than giving generously.

A poem that inspires me to live this way is called 'The Dash' by Linda Ellis. She reflects that our entire lives are summarized in the dash between birth and death on our tombstones. The end of the poem reminds me of what will truly matter in the end:

So, when your eulogy is being read

With your life's actions to rehash...

Would you be proud of the things they say

About how you spent YOUR dash?

When my time on earth is over, I don't want my legacy to be a temporary memory of financial success or vain endeavors. I want my life to be a reflection of love, patience, kindness, generosity, and genuine care for others. I want each person I interacted with to carry a small part of that reflection into their own lives so that, even when my name is forgotten, the impact I had will be carried on for generations.

What will your reflection be? What would others say your reflection will be? What changes should you make now to ensure your reflection is what you want?

Article originally hosted and shared with permission by The Christian Economic Forum, a global network of leaders who join together to collaborate and introduce strategic ideas for the spread of God’s economic principles and the goodness of Jesus Christ. This article was from a collection of White Papers compiled for attendees of the CEF’s Global Event.