I heard over the weekend that Dr. Henry Heimlich died.
Heimlich, you may recall, is regarded as the creator of the Heimlich Maneuver for stopping choking.
Since this technique was first publicized in 1976, it’s been credited for possibly saving 100,000
lives.
Including that of Ronald Reagan.
As the story goes, Reagan was campaigning in 1976 when he began choking on an airplane.
Apparently no one knew what to do — except an aide named Mike
Deaver.
When Deaver saw what was happening, he pushed everyone aside, grabbed the future president, and used the Heimlich Manuever to dislodge a peanut that was causing the choking.
The irony of the story is that Reagan actually taught Deaver the procedure.
And once he was able to catch his breath on that airplane, Reagan told him, “I’m sure glad I taught you that darned thing.”
There are many others who are thankful for the rather awkward technique as well.
And there will be for
years to come.
Because Henry Heimlich left the world a legacy.
That is, he did something that will continue to change lives for the better… even now that he’s passed on.
And the truth is, that’s
something we all can do.
No… you might not invent a famous life-saving technique.
But you definitely have been equipped to leave your mark on humanity in some way… even long after you’re gone.
In
the second chapter of Ephesians there are familiar words about salvation being a gift of God’s grace (Eph.2:8-9).
... Thank the Lord for that...
But then immediately following there are less familiar words that read:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph.2:10).
Did you catch that?
God has already prepared good works for you to do!
You just need to discover them and do them.
And as you do, you will be creating your own legacy, for those who come after you.
You will never know the full extent of what that legacy will be… at least this side of
eternity.
But you can know that as you do whatever God calls you to do, it will have the kind of lasting good results He intends.