The Legacy We Leave Behind

“Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”  Deuteronomy 6:4-7

What kind of legacy do we want to leave for our children, grandchildren, and others who come after us?  I look back at the legacy that was left to me by my grandparents, my parents, my husband, and my son.  All of them had one major thing in common: they all loved the Lord.  I am so thankful that I was reared in a Christian home, taken to church where the gospel was preached, and learned the truth about God and His word at an early age.

There are many parents who desire to leave their children material items, including money.  This younger generation won’t mind the money, but most of them have no use for our junk.  There have been many times when dumpsters are rented, hauled to the deceased parent’s home, and filled with all the treasures that Mom and Dad had accumulated over the years.  Yes, all this stuff is just stuff.  In the overall scheme of things, the material items that we leave behind have little meaning to those who come behind us.  Matter of fact, it has been said that when our grandchildren have past away, there will be no one to remember us.

It’s up to us to teach our children about the Lord and His love for His children.  What children learn about God is what they see modeled in their parents.  If they don’t ever see us opening the scriptures, on our knees praying, or helping those around us who are in need, they will not see serving the Lord as important.  If worship is not a priority for parents, then it won’t be a priority for the children.  It is a known fact that children get their view of God from their fathers.  If there is no father in the home, or if he is not involved in his children’s lives, the children’s view of God is one of an uncaring and uninvolved heavenly Father.

It’s always best to start teaching children about the Bible while they are young because they may not listen when they are older.  Little children are like sponges–they absorb a lot of information without even trying.  However,  if parents wait until the children reach the teenage years and then try to steer them in the direction of church after neglecting to do so when they were young, it likely will be an exercise in futility.  Learning about following Christ at a young age may keep them from having to experience future regret.  It’s in their best interest to arm them with truth so that they can grown from a firm foundation.  My prayer is that the legacy that I leave will be one of a life lived for the Lord, and that it will be a perpetual legacy down through future generations.  That is really the only legacy worth leaving behind.