Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV)
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through
faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves
with Christ.
The Black Hills of South Dakota are renowned for being
good sculpture material. Most people have heard of Mt. Rushmore, where the
colossal granite portraits of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore
Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln have been carved into the top of the mountain.
But did you know that not far away from Mt. Rushmore is another mountain being
carved into a monument?
Right after World War II, Korczak Ziolkowski received an
invitation from the North American Indian authorities to carve a memorial
dedicated to a famous Indian, Crazy Horse. He quickly took their dream to heart
and made it his passion. The chosen site was in the Black Hills, just a few
miles from Mt. Rushmore, and beginning in 1947, Korczak worked diligently on
this project until his death in 1982.
Throughout this time, the dream grew until it not only
embraced the colossal sculpture carved into the mountain, but also the
development, at its base, of the Indian Museum of North America, and eventually
the Indian University (and Medical Training Center) of North America.
But carving a mountain is a monumental task, and unlike
Mt. Rushmore, which was publicly funded and was carved by hundreds of workers,
Korczak had no money and he worked alone. At the time of his death, only a
rough outline of his carving could be seen in the mountain. He had a large
family (5 sons and 5 daughters) however, and following his death, seven of his
children decided to continue his dream.
Today, the head of Crazy Horse, as well as part of his
right arm, can be clearly seen. Once finished, this colossal monument will
stand 563 feet high and 641 feet long, far surpassing the size of Mount
Rushmore, where the carvings are 60 feet tall. This monument-under-construction
will serve as a constant reminder that North America is not only the land of
the Europeans who arrived in the 16th Century, but more importantly, it is the
land of its native people.
Who was this Crazy Horse? He was a courageous Indian
strategist who furiously defended the rights of his people. He was a caring man
who had at heart the interest of the widows, the ill, and the children. After
the white man had taken away his ancestral land, he was asked where his lands
were now. His response? "My lands are where my dead lie buried." The North
American Indians couldn't have chosen a better representative for this
monument.
Both Crazy Horse and Korczak Ziolkowski left a legacy
that will always be remembered. But in all reality, we all leave a legacy. Some
are perhaps more significant than others, some are better remembered than
others, and some are definitely more negative than others; but we all leave a
legacy!
It is sad how fast we tend to forget our ancestors and
what they once stood for. When you read Genesis 5, you see that Adam's
descendants are solely remembered by the sons and daughters they gave birth to.
All except for Enoch. And Noah. Enoch walked so closely with God that His
Heavenly Father took him directly into heaven (see verse 24), and Noah's
obedience to God is legendary!
Only the firm, dedicated followers of God and His Son
Jesus will be remembered for all eternity. Why? Because they become sons and
daughters of the Most High. "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my
sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor 6:18 NIV); "You
are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were
baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Gal 3:26-27
NIV); "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our
hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no
longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an
heir." (Gal 4:6-7 NIV)
What is it that your descendants will remember you for?
Will they remember you as a caring, loving and thoughtful individual? Or as a
self-seeking, egotistical scrooge? What will be your epitaph on your tomb? My
desire would be for mine to read: "He found God's grace too amazing to
keep it to Himself."
Dear Lord, we pray that we would live our life in a manner
that would those that know us would see Your amazing Grace through us. In Jesus’
Name, Amen.
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