Are You Leaving A Godly Legacy?
What legacy am I leaving my children?
Your legacy is not your assets, it is what you put into motion. Paul Cole says in the Conquer Series that what a man does becomes history, but what he puts into motion becomes his legacy. That means how you treat your wife and how you raise your children. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 commands parents to repeat God's commands to their kids at home and on the road.
March 25, 2014 was a big day for me. My first child was born at home at 8:58 pm. I’ve often heard people say how remarkable the event of childbirth is. Now I know. We waited 9 months to find out the gender. We have a healthy, beautiful girl! What a blessing. Her name is Avalon Grace Wiles. Her nickname is Ava.
If this is on your church's radar, start a Conquer Group at your church is worth a look.
I remember the morning after she was born, I’ll never forget as she fell asleep on my chest. Yes, I am in love. As I laid there I began to contemplate the honor I’ve been given to raise a child. My life has been so busy for the past 10 years. I’ve been fortunate to go on some amazing adventures, but nothing comes close to the experience of holding my daughter.
Legacy
What kind of legacy will I leave with Ava? Will it be lasting? Or will I only leave behind assets – money, possessions and property? What will be the legacy you leave your children?
Your greatest contribution may not be something you do, but someone you raise.
In the Conquer Series, Paul Cole, President of the Christian Men’s Network puts it perfectly: “What a man does in life becomes history, but what he puts into motion becomes his legacy.” What we put into motion is in how we treat our wives and how we raise our children. They are our ministry.
Related Article: 6 Keys To Leaving A Godly Legacy For Your Kids This Father’s Day
Leaving a Godly legacy is the purpose of parents. It’s actually commanded in scripture.
“You must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” - Deuteronomy 6:6-9
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Related Article: How Meditating On God Changes Your Identity
Loving Well
Perhaps the greatest example of love we can show to our children, is the love we show to our wives and husbands. A child raised in a family where parents express their love to one another is not only reaffirming to the child, but those children are more likely to trust and bond with others as they grow older.
Related Article: Husbands, Here’s How To Love Your Wife Well
If you’ve watched the Conquer Series, then you’ll remember one of Dr. Ted Roberts most famous lines, “How you love your wife is how you really love Jesus Christ”.
The challenge is the same for all of us. “Will we follow Christ and fulfill His call and vision in our lives? Will we love our wives as Christ loved the Church? We will raise our children according to His ways?”
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This is our legacy.
Writing at the intersection of faith and neuroscience to help men and women break destructive cycles and walk in lasting freedom.
More articles by Jeremy Wiles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is a legacy the same thing as an inheritance?
No. An inheritance is assets: money, possessions and property, all of which your children can spend or lose. A legacy is what you put into motion. As Paul Cole, President of the Christian Men’s Network, puts it in the Conquer Series, "What a man does in life becomes history, but what he puts into motion becomes his legacy." What you put into motion shows in how you treat your wife and how you raise your children.
What does the Bible say about passing faith to my children?
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 makes it a command, not a suggestion. Commit yourself wholeheartedly to God's commands, then repeat them again and again to your children: talk about them at home and on the road, when you lie down and when you get up, tie them on your hands, and write them on the doorposts of your house.
Why does the way I treat my spouse shape my children?
Because they are watching the model, not just hearing the lesson. Perhaps the greatest example of love we can show our children is the love we show our husband or wife. Children raised in a home where parents openly express love to each other find that reassuring, and they are more likely to trust and bond with others as they grow older.
How is loving my wife connected to loving Jesus?
Closely. One of Dr. Ted Roberts’ most famous lines in the Conquer Series is, "How you love your wife is how you really love Jesus Christ". She is the person your obedience is tested on every day. The call is to love her as Christ loved the Church, which is sacrificial rather than convenient. A man who is honest about how he treats his wife already knows where he stands with God.
What is a parent's most important contribution?
Someone, not something. Your greatest contribution may not be an achievement but a child you raised well. Leaving a godly legacy is the purpose of parents, and Scripture commands it, which means your family is not an interruption of your ministry, it is your ministry. Careers end and possessions pass on; what you put into motion in your children keeps going.
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