Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. – Psalm 112:1-2

 
What is it about men and our interest in the future?  Why do we care so much about the next generation and the legacy that we will leave?  For centuries, men have been driven to not only have children, but to have sons in order to carry on the family name.  Now I understand that kings needed sons to produce an heir and that families needed sons to hold onto their property, but those days are long gone.  Today it is only about keeping your name into the next generation, but for some guys you would think that this was just as important as holding the crown.  It’s not about wealth – it’s about the legacy we leave.

 
My father has been gone for three years but I still find myself thinking about not only the man he was but also the type of man he wanted me to be.  On some levels, this is silly – to think that I would still consider the words of a silenced voice the ruler by which I would be measured.  But the more I think about this, I realize that this is by design.  As his son, I am the embodiment of his unfinished work.  No man goes to the grave having completed everything he set out to do.  Work is always left to be done and it makes sense that the work would fall to the next generation.  I see that I have been put into a position where I must step up to complete his work, to fulfill my own destiny, and finally to prepare my children to continue that work when my time is done.  This is true in the earthly realm.  It is equally true in the spiritual realm as well.

 
The ministry of Christ was all about preparing Himself and the world for His death and resurrection.  In doing so, we were given the greatest gift possible.  But it didn’t end there.  As He ascended into Heaven he gave us a commission – work that we were called to do.  What He did for us is complete in and of itself.  Our job is to share that message with everyone who needs to hear it.  We do so with our words.  We do so with our actions.  We do so to our family, our friends, our co-workers, and of course with our children.  In fact – the work of instilling the Gospel into the lives of our children may be the most important work we will ever be called to do.  You see, I will ultimately not be defined by the amount of money I earn, the number of possessions I accumulate, or the memories I provide to my friends and loved ones.  My legacy will be fulfilled most effectively when Christ lives in me so strongly that His love becomes evident in my life and the lives of my descendants for generations to come.