Leaving a Legacy

A few years ago I went home to visit my parents. And while there I was out shopping with my husband Rob, when I saw a woman at the mall that looked like the mother of a dear friend of mine from childhood.

I had not seen my friend, or her mother, in at least 20 years.

So, I tapped Rob and said, "I think over there is a mom of a girl I went to school with."

And just as I was about to charge on over… I realized that it was NOT the mother of my friend BUT my friend, herself. I thought it was her mom because she had morphed into her mom’s very image from 20 years ago.

AsI thought about this post, I thought really is that not what we are all doing? We are just slowly turning into our parents. Every last one of us.

When you get into the car today and you flip that visor down, look in that mirror, and THERE THEY ARE… whether you want to admit it or not.

For some of you it is NOT just appearance. How many of us have had someone say, you sound just like your mom, or you sound just like your dad. Or, how many of you have said something to your children, perhaps in the heat of disciplining, and thought I sounded just like my parents right now.

Legacy -- that which is passed from one generation to the next.

Every one of us has received one, lives one, and gives one.

The question is not whether you will leave a legacy but what that legacy will be.

And if you are parents – your children are heirs to the good, the bad and the ugly.

When looking at the legacy that we have received, all of us need to be able to identify that which we want to continue and that which we want to be broken. Some of you have a great heritage of God fearing examples. Others of you, not. My husband and I are both 1^st generation Christians and this is what I will say to you – you have a chance to start a new legacy.

So the question you and I need to be able to answer is this – what legacy do you want to leave?