Have you ever thought about what legacy you will leave when you die? Do you ever consider that the foundations you lay out now will affect those for future generations?
Merriam-Webster definition of a legacy: something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor, or from the past.
Your legacy is the by-product of your life; it is your children’s heritage.
***
My husband and I recently finished leading The Art of Marriage (small group study) and loved the last session called Love Always. It focuses on leaving a lasting legacy. Albert Mohler, a contributor to this marriage study, writes, “You are an ancestor to someone yet to come. If you live your life knowing you are an ancestor, that will change the way you make decisions, the way you live your life, the way you love your wife.” Wow.
Dennis Rainey, author, speaker, and founder of FamilyLife suggests five essentials in leaving a legacy that will outlive you:
- Fear the Lord and obey Him.
- Recognize the world’s need and respond with compassion and action.
- Pray as a couple that God will use you to accomplish His purposes.
- Help your spouse be a better steward of his/her gifts and abilities.
- Ask God to give your children a sense of purpose, direction, and mission.
***
Your legacy is where your story lives on. What is it you want the future generations to remember about you? What impact will you make?
My husband and I have talked about this quite a few times over the last few years, and recognize the importance of how what we do today affects our tomorrows.
Here are some ways we are trying hard to leave behind something beautiful:
- We love God, and we love others.
- We are hard-working and do our very best for the Lord.
- We are good stewards of our time and our finances.
- We extend grace towards one another.
- We educate our children in world matters, so they realize we don’t exist in a bubble.
- We offer our time and our resources to those in need.
- We are devoted to one another and our family.
- We believe in our children and their God-given callings.
Obviously, this list is not exhaustive, but I offer you a few examples to get you thinking. What is it you and your husband do today that you hope will impact the future of your family? Please share, I would love to hear!
Natalie, this is such a great topic for is all to be thinking about! I love the perspective shift that happens when you think of yourself as someone’s ancestor! I think my goals would be similar to yours of leaving a legacy of someone who passionately followed Christ, no matter what! Huge challenge!
It is definitely a perspective shift! Those are great and doable goals!
This is a subject I think I avoid out of fear. It’s difficult for me to think of things I do now, the behaviors I have now will affect my children and family after me. Thank you for giving food-for-thought on this, I appreciate your suggestions!
It is a bit scary and convicting! I am glad it gave you food for thought 🙂