Their behavior shouldn’t have surprised me. The apostle Paul instructed believers to give thanks in all circumstances in a letter to the Thessalonians.[v] Why then, did Amanda and Bill seem to be leading by example, instead of merely following Paul’s?

Maybe because so few of us are able to do the same, I speculated.

I’ve learned from experience that it’s hard to do what you’re told when you don’t know why you are doing it. And I never understood why Paul asked believers to take a Pollyanna approach to problems until a few weeks ago when I read Your Unforgettable Life by Jennifer Schuchmann and Craig Chapin.

On page 105 of this book, the authors introduced readers to a man named Jim who was facing some tough personal struggles that made him question why Paul would tell readers to be so upbeat when circumstances were getting them down.

“I hated Paul,” says Jim. “He says to rejoice in our suffering, but even Jesus didn’t rejoice in His suffering. Instead, He prayed that if it were God’s will, His cup would be taken away and His suffering end.”

Only after struggling through a difficult year, did Jim learn something that changed his mind about Paul: “Jesus was the only person whose suffering took Him away from God. All suffering since then brings us closer to God if we let it; that’s why Paul said to rejoice in our suffering—because it brings us closer to God.”[vi]

The tragedy of losing William clearly brought Amanda closer to God as I looked again in her direction to find her singing with eyes closed and one hand raised to heaven. As I marveled at her strength, I realized that she was my role model … because Jesus was hers.

What would life be like if everyone felt the “peace of God, which transcends all understanding” that Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:7? Would every grieving friend and family member “let go and let God” for long enough to inspire others to do the same?

Joyce Meyer once said: “You don’t have control over every circumstance or offense that comes your way, but you can control your response.”[vii]

William’s parents would always be known for their response to trials. But that didn’t answer my question about William. How could a child who was too young to make decisions by himself, make a difference for Christ?

Searching for an answer, I thought back to the slideshow that had played earlier in the service. William was such a happy little boy and, from the smiling faces of the people in the photos with him, I could tell that his joy was contagious.

As I thought about the love that he brought to everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him, I realized that the greatest legacy we will ever leave is not a tangible mark, but a touched heart.

Jesus confirmed the importance of reaching out to others after a Pharisee, who was an expert in the law, asked this question in Matthew 22:36: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

In response Jesus offered not one, but two pieces of advice: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”[viii]

Jesus lived out this love when he died on the cross for our sins. This Easter, and always, we owe it to him to do the same as we die to self and do our best to serve by allowing God’s love to flow through us to others. Still, even the simplest act of affection can make us anxious … like when the worship leader encouraged attendees to join hands and raise them to heaven as if we were children wanting to be picked up by our father.

Such a public display of adoration isn’t like me. I’m guessing that it wasn’t like a lot of people as I glanced around the room to find that no one seemed to want to go first. The air was heavy with hesitation as we slowly grabbed hands and raised them in the air until everyone had complied with the worship leader’s request.

We did it for William. And as I stood there outside my comfort zone, I knew that his legacy was secure. It’s not the length of a life, but the love that flows through it that matters most. And if that love leads people to Jesus, we have left a remarkable legacy indeed.

William Schultz

August 10, 2006 - December 31, 2007

Quotes to Grow On