The Legacy They Will Live Out
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" – Proverbs 22:6
Whether you realize it or not, you are leaving a legacy right now. Every choice you make, every value you live out, every priority you model is laying a foundation for those who come behind you.
In Matthew’s Gospel, when Jesus calls James and John, it is not a throwaway detail that their father Zebedee is mentioned. That part matters. These young men were fishermen because their father was one. They inherited not just his profession but also the work ethic, sacrifice, and discipline that came with it. That name in the story reminds us that behind their decision to follow Jesus was a life shaped by legacy. Zebedee lived in such a way that his sons knew how to commit, how to work, and how to respond when something significant came calling.
It makes you think. What are you passing down? Because the next generation is watching and absorbing more than we realize. The way you talk about faith. The way you treat people. The way you pray. The way you prioritize family or drift from it. The way you handle money, pressure, and adversity. These things are forming patterns in their lives, whether you say them out loud or not.
Just like our kids can inherit our eyes, our expressions, or our mannerisms, they can also inherit our habits, our hangups, or our hunger for God. That’s why the Bible places such a strong emphasis on generational impact. It’s not just about getting them into the right school or saving for their future. It’s about handing down a lifestyle they’ll be proud to carry on.
The question is, what are you leaving behind? Will it inspire, guide, and strengthen those who follow? Or will it leave them starting from scratch? You may not get to choose what they do with their future, but you absolutely get to choose what kind of legacy you live out in front of them today. Leave one worth continuing.
Whether you realize it or not, you are leaving a legacy right now. Every choice you make, every value you live out, every priority you model is laying a foundation for those who come behind you.
In Matthew’s Gospel, when Jesus calls James and John, it is not a throwaway detail that their father Zebedee is mentioned. That part matters. These young men were fishermen because their father was one. They inherited not just his profession but also the work ethic, sacrifice, and discipline that came with it. That name in the story reminds us that behind their decision to follow Jesus was a life shaped by legacy. Zebedee lived in such a way that his sons knew how to commit, how to work, and how to respond when something significant came calling.
It makes you think. What are you passing down? Because the next generation is watching and absorbing more than we realize. The way you talk about faith. The way you treat people. The way you pray. The way you prioritize family or drift from it. The way you handle money, pressure, and adversity. These things are forming patterns in their lives, whether you say them out loud or not.
Just like our kids can inherit our eyes, our expressions, or our mannerisms, they can also inherit our habits, our hangups, or our hunger for God. That’s why the Bible places such a strong emphasis on generational impact. It’s not just about getting them into the right school or saving for their future. It’s about handing down a lifestyle they’ll be proud to carry on.
The question is, what are you leaving behind? Will it inspire, guide, and strengthen those who follow? Or will it leave them starting from scratch? You may not get to choose what they do with their future, but you absolutely get to choose what kind of legacy you live out in front of them today. Leave one worth continuing.
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