O God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still
declare Your wondrous deeds. And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not
forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all
who are to come. Psalms 71:17-18
A Legacy is something handed
down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past or something that
someone has achieved that continues to exist after they stop working or die. The legacy of a father is the understanding
and tools of how to handle life.
Talk About It - Talk about them when you sit
at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get
up. This teaching is to
be a part of life. Avoid only doing this
at "special times."
Tell the Stories -
Tell children about family members and role models who shaped your life. Discuss historical figures who lived ethical
lives. Tell them about your family
heritage and lineage.
God was well aware of what psychologists are learning today. Family stories are powerful instruments of
passing on values, identity and faith.
Has God ever healed your body?
Has God ever delivered you from a habit, an addiction or a destructive
lifestyle? Has God pulled you out of the
pit? Has God ever met a financial need
for you? Tell the stories to your
children! Stories are a powerful frame for understanding the world and the
self. Who we are is largely defined by
the experiences we have had and how we understand those experiences. Importantly, our personal stories are
embedded in deep family histories. Our own stories are fashioned by frames
provided by our families.
Families that share stories, stories about parents and grandparents,
about triumphs and failures, provide powerful models for children. Parents tell
these stories to teach their children life lessons.
Wear It Well - Lead by Example - Tie them as
symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Our
kids need to see that being a Christian is not something where we act, dress
and behave one way at church and a completely different way at work or home.
Everything you say and do, and all that you
allow to be said and done in your presence ... reinforces or undermines the
credibility of your messages. Josephson
Institute of Ethics
A Wrong example would be the inability to handle anger or the idea that
you control people for power. Whatever
you model, whatever your example is whether it is good or bad, they will pick
it up.
Take it Home - Be Consistent - Write them on
the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Pay attention to the content of what you and
your children hear, read, watch and do. Ethics suggest how an individual should
behave. They reveal what is right or appropriate, regardless of personal
values.
It's not easy being a Christian in the world today but the one place
where it should always be authentically lived out is at home. If you want
capable, respectful children, try giving them a portion of your heart rather
than a piece of your mind!
A man who is truly a father
does fatherly things in a fatherly way:
• Loves
without condition
• Protects as a warrior
• Guides with wisdom
• Encourages with
enthusiasm
• Forgives with a whole
heart
• Brings joy and gladness
to life
• Provides without
complaint
• Leads through
relationship
• Nurtures without
antagonizing
• Disciplines without
destroying
• Empowers his children
without arrogance
• Serves with humility
• Counsels without
condemnation
• Comforts with strength
and compassion
Legacy is not merely a reputation.
A man may leave a reputation, but what a child receives is his
legacy. Live your life with intention so
that you leave a spiritual legacy for your children that will give them the
tools they need for whatever comes their way in life.
Scripture to Claim:
A righteous man who walks in his integrity-- How blessed are his sons after him.
Proverbs 20:7
A righteous man who walks in his integrity-- How blessed are his sons after him.
Proverbs 20:7
