What Will Be Your Legacy?

"I will not die, but I will live to tell what the Lord has done. Psalm 118:17 NLT"

Famous last words

"John Wycliffe lay dying in Lutterworth, England. The year was 1384, and most of his influential friends in church and state had deserted him. Many thought he had gone too far.

For one thing, Wycliffe had dared to translate the Bible into English. He also urged a separation of church and state in order to reform the church. He attacked the corruption and the abuses of power that he observed—particularly among the friars. But most of all he preached that the Bible should be made available in every language.

It sounded like heresy, and since Wycliffe was now at the point of death, some felt he should reconsider his statements. So four friars and four senators crowded into his bedroom. They spoke sternly to him, reminding him of all he had advocated. Now was the time to confess the error of his ways.

Wycliffe was surprisingly alert. He asked if he could be raised in his bed so he could speak more clearly. Then he summoned all his remaining strength to quote Psalm 118:17, or at least part of it: ""I will not die, but I will live, and will again declare the evil deed of the friars.""

Wycliffe died, but his message and work lived on: the English Bible available to the common people. People die, but what they have begun is not halted by death. The trail they have left behind them goes on ahead of them.