Day 24: Legacy Through Lazarus Moments

Lazarus moments trigger opposition, but they also spark a movement. Once a movement gains momentum, it secures your legacy, making the sacrifices worth it in the long run.

Remember, Lazarus moments—those that appear to serve a small audience or have limited impact—may seem insignificant in isolation. However, our pivotal, sometimes risky decisions to serve or speak up may not benefit us directly but elevate someone else, ultimately inspiring a movement.

Once the word about Lazarus spread to the leading priests and Pharisees, they began to plot how to kill Jesus. Why? Because “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs,” they said. “If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation” (John 11:48 NLT).

The leading priests and Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus because He was bold enough to disrupt the status quo for the greater good. He publicly proclaimed His mission and relationship to God while teaching and performing miracles. His Lazarus moment caused people to desert the leading priests to follow Him—a painful blow to those who prioritize rituals and religion over relationships.

Jesus’s obedience and willingness to sacrifice His life for one person caused many to believe in His mission and purpose (John 12:12–19). He gained influence that would secure His legacy by denying the comfort of avoiding opposition, making the bold choice to sacrifice His life to serve others, and maintaining an eternal focus.

Like Jesus, we will encounter resistance when we challenge the norms. But if we’re willing to lean into discomfort for a greater cause, we might ignite a movement that outlives us.

Impactful leadership is uncomfortable.

Leaving an impact will require us to serve others while remaining faithful to our values in the face of adversity and ostracism. Our calling to leave a legacy will require us to make unpopular decisions, but the lifelong change others will experience because of your leadership makes the discomfort worth it.

• Make bold choices. Don’t shy away from the decisions that may cost you in the short term but serve others in the long run. Those who leave a revolutionary impact prioritize bold attitudes and actions over timidity and incrementalism.
• Create repeatable processes. You are what you repeat. Build habits and systems that reflect your values, because consistency defines culture. Don’t just focus on achieving isolated goals; focus on developing systems that allow you to sustain high performance and ongoing achievement.
• Focus on the big picture—eternal impact. When you’re clear on your eternal why, today’s discomfort becomes tomorrow’s legacy. Jesus focused on glorifying His Father and sacrificing His life for our sins. His why was bigger than the risks associated with His calling. What’s your why? Let that be the driving force behind your daily actions.

Your Lazarus moment may not gain applause, but it may start a revolution. Keep showing up, serving, and leading well.