This past week I've been hearing people talk about legacy--what you leave behind after you're gone. As a mother, from time to time, I too, think of what I'll bestow to my children. It is right and generous of parents to leave a monetary inheritance to their children, but what about spiritual legacy?
It's a big challenge, and most of us probably don't know what spiritual riches we can pass on to our beloved children.Or even if we know the right values we should pass on, we're not sure how to do it. I believe that trust in God, dependence on the Almighty's power and presence, and gratitude for God's gifts that result in a godly confidence in oneself--these are the attitudes and values that are important for our children to succeed in this world. These are the spiritual legacies I'd like them to have.
I remember writing a magazine article a few years ago where I used the word "MOTHER" to remind us how to create a spiritual legacy for our children. Let me share it with you here briefly.
Model. A value is better caught than taught. For example, if we want our children to behave honorably, they should first see how we treat everyone around us with respect, whether in front of these people or behind their backs.
Openness.Take note of your children's questions. Their questions could be a springboard to discuss spiritual things, to share knowledge, and to impart good values. You may not know the right answers all the time, but even then, you will be creating wonderful memories for your children by just listening, talking, and laughing with them.
Trust. Since we're talking about spiritual legacy, we can not avoid mentioning God most of the time. I think we can not pass on to our children godly values, godly thoughts, and godly attitudes if we ourselves have not developed trust in God. Let's develop our trust in God through Jesus Christ.
Highlight. Highlight spiritual milestones in the lives of your children. I would define spiritual milestones as very important events in the development of a person's human spirit.Any instance when you sense that your child is open to knowing more about God--that could be a spiritual milestone.
Enrich yourself. You need to enrich yourself so that you can enrich your own children as well. Enrich yourself by reading good books and magazines. Connect with good friends. Be involved in a local church or small group where you can be taught the Bible and how to make it relevant in your life.
Remind. Let's remind our children of their spiritual blessings. Children do not want to hear us nagging, but they will be pleased to hear how blessed they are. Remind your children of God's blessings everyday.
Let us create a spiritual legacy, a spiritual inheritance that our children can hold on to even long after we are gone. Later on, they will be grateful that we have left to them a lasting legacy.
