Billy Graham’s legacy is beyond anything he accomplished on Earth. His life and how he lived simply, yet powerfully, is an example we can all learn and grow from.
More Than Words
A tribute can be much more than words. Sometimes, we can be so quick to say something to commemorate a person’s life, but just as quickly as we speak, our words can blow away in the wind of time. Billy Graham spoke more than just words; He lived an honest life sold out for Jesus and his legacy lives on as he enjoys paradise in heaven. To properly honor him and all that he stood for, we (the Church) have so much to give in the wake of his timely passing.
Before we soar off into the powerful, individual roles we each play, we should first understand what Billy Graham gave us to run with. He kept things simple; he didn’t complicate the uncomplicated. Not afraid of being fully himself no matter where he was or who he was around, he drew people in with real love. If we just take a closer look at the details of his life, we’ll quickly learn that what he left us is a tangible example to follow as we move on in the days to come.
Life and Legacy
It would be a bit absurd to list every moment Billy Graham impacted a person’s heart or every day and time of his preachings and teachings. It’s just not necessary. The treasures that will enrich our lives today are hidden in plain sight. Scripture tells us that “salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving” and “nothing we did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the gracious gift from God that brought us to Christ” (Ephesians 2:8-9 Passion Translation). Although his ministry deserves much admiration, his life and how he actually lived it, is his real legacy.
Billy Graham wasn’t afraid to call it like it was. He shared the Gospel with an attractive innocence and a non- judgmental sincerity. He had a heart- felt approach to winning souls for the Kingdom and God’s glory that drew in the masses—some hundreds of millions were touched by his ministry in one way or another. We can’t know for sure, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he didn’t care much about the numbers. What we do know is that he cared, more than the average person, about people’s spiritual lives. And this kind of deep care has been the source of his greatest impact.
What It Has to Do with Us
Recognizing how Billy Graham was known for sharing radical love and shaking up the status-quo by risking is the start. Beyond his life and accomplishments (and whatever else makes us think of him), there’s more to the bigger picture. Just as his legacy goes on even after his time here on earth, we have a part to play that surpasses our ability to fully comprehend it. The big picture has many layers, many pieces and aspects that bring it all together. This is why his contribution to the Kingdom of God needs us to step up to the plate and carry his legacy in our day and age—now that he’s gone, it’s going to take more than a single person to help usher in the new move the Spirit’s bringing in to our culture.
It’s funny, some of us get a sense that something new and different is on the horizon. That it’s coming straight for us. Yet some of us are still keeping God boxed up by expecting the familiar whether we realize it or not. Thing is, if He is doing something new—new to us, we shouldn’t know what it looks like or would it really be new? Collectively, rising up and uniting as His Church, we are the next Billy Graham of our generation.
The Next Billy Graham
Imagine one Billy Graham for every person he positively impacted. Wow, right? Think again—it already exists and that’s us today, if we’re up to the call. As we rise up, it’s imperative we remember it’s not about making his name great. He’s to be honored and surely remembered, but it’s not really about him. It’s not about you, it’s not about me; it’s only about coming together and lifting up the powerful name of Jesus. But since this is what he lived for, it’s makes it easy to keep the proper perspective on his life and legacy.
The world needed Billy Graham’s voice when he bravely chose to use it. Remember though, he chose to; he didn’t have to. In the same breath, we have the opportunity to do the same. We all have something to say, we all were created uniquely and have something fresh to contribute. And the more we get closer to Jesus and what really moves His heart, the more we’ll have something to give. This is what it all comes down to. Billy Graham paved the way pretty smoothly for us to jump in next. His life is a prime example and beyond our words—our greatest tribute is just to follow it.
