LEAVING A LEGACY OF FAITH TO OUR CHILDREN

Today’s blog is in honor of the Easter holiday that is coming up this Sunday.  I will be sharing my thoughts about the importance of parents, passing along their Christian faith to their children.  Since my wife and I are people of faith, we believe in today’s culture, it is our duty and job to pass down the timeless truths and values of our faith, which has worked for us to our children.  I call it leaving a legacy of faith to our children.  Some people might say as parents we shouldn’t force religion down our children throat.  For us we see it as passing down our biblical beliefs, which we have practiced in the home.  Our children have seen us live out our faith before them inside and outside the home, but it is up to them to embrace it as their faith for their lives.  I am not talking about just being religious or going to church, but I am talking about living out biblical truths that shape your thoughts and actions in life.  For my wife Donna and I, our actions have kept us happily married together for over 30 years, through the good and bad times in our marriage.

I believe how we live our lives before our children can help shape their character, and teach them how to handle life.  This is leaving a legacy behind that our children can live out in their generation.  So, why not leave a legacy of faith in God that can prepare them for life.  Here’s a story of a couple named Jonathan and Sarah Edwards, who walked by faith and left behind a spiritual legacy.  Jonathan Edwards felt God’s call to become a minister, and later he and his wife pastored a small congregation.  During the years that followed, he wrote many sermons, prayers, and books, and was influential in beginning the Great Awakening.  Together they produced eleven children who grew into adulthood.  Sarah was a partner in her husband’s ministry, and he sought her advice regarding sermons and church matters.  They spent time talking about these things together, and, when their children were old enough, the parents included them in the discussions.  Jonathan and Sarah’s legacy was seen through their children and descendants accomplishments: lawyers, deans of colleges, professors of colleges and universities, college presidents, judges, physicians, mayors of cities, governors of states, United States senators, and 1 Vice President of the United States. 

Leaving a legacy to our children isn’t just about leaving material things to them.  Don’t get me wrong, we should leave our children with financial wealth if we can, instead of leaving any debt to them.  We can leave our children with wealth, but if we don’t teach them how to handle prosperity, then they will squander or misuse it.  We need to develop character in them where they can appreciate and respect people, and have the right attitude towards money, by seeing it as a tool to achieving their goals in life.  That’s why I believe we must pass down our Christian faith to our children, so they can have the right perspective of life, an eternal one.  We want them to love God and people, and use their wealth to serve God and to bless others.  There is a biblical example of two women that left a legacy of faith to their children.  In 2 Timothy 1:5 it says, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”  This scripture here was written to a young man named Timothy, and we see through the leadership of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, they passed down their faith to him that they practiced. 

Actually, there is a law called “The Law of Legacy”, which says “A Leader’s Lasting Value Is Measured by Succession”.  As parents, the habits and decisions that we live by whether positive or negative, are what we will be known for, and the legacy that we will leave to our children.  So the question I will ask you is “What kind of legacy will you and your mate leave?”  Will it be lasting?  Will it be imperishable and eternal?  Or will you leave behind only tangible items – houses, money and/or possessions?  It is said the single best thing parents can do to pass on their religious beliefs is to live out an authentic, vibrant faith themselves.  If we are just going through the motions of faith, it won’t stick.  Our children need to see us modeling spiritual habits of our faith, such as reading the Bible, obeying God’s word, and prayer.  Also, it is important to know we can live out our faith, and our children not accept it because it is up to them to believe.  Let’s pray for our children’s salvation that they will accept Jesus.  Hey parents, why not start this Easter by leaving a legacy of faith to our children.  It could the best gift you give your children.

Would love to hear your thoughts, questions, or feedback.