How are you providing for your family?
“Jacob replied, “You know how hard I’ve worked for you, and how your flocks and herds have grown under my care. You had little indeed before I came, but your wealth has increased enormously. The Lord has blessed you through everything I’ve done. But now, what about me? When can I start providing for my own family?”” ~ Genesis 30:29-30 NLT
God blessed and enriched Laban through Jacob’s service. But now Jacob wants to establish his own estate and move away from Laban. With 4 wives and over 12 children already he felt the need to look out for his own family and invest in his legacy. (This is a good moment to remind ourselves that many of the stories in the Bible are descriptive, not prescriptive!)
As 60 looms just around the corner for me I have the same concerns. I want to provide for my family and give something of lasting value to the generations that follow. Lord willing, more grandchildren will come and we may even be blessed to watch some of them walk down the aisle. What experiences, stories, values, knowledge, and spiritually enriching habits can we provide for them? Along with money and things, how can we share with them the grace and truth of Christ that continues to transform our lives?
One thing is for certain, we want our legacy to be something more than what gets left behind after we die, we want to put our legacy in motion today - while we still have the energy and strength and opportunity to engage, to love, to share, and to invest well.
But what if our children or grandchildren choose not to follow Christ? I am reminded of something the Holy Spirit said to me when one of our children was going astray in high school: “Do not squander the influence you do have striving for the control you will never have.” Maybe those words are for you today.
When it comes to your legacy, are you more focused on control or influence?
What can you begin putting in motion today that will bless future generations?
What stories do you need to write down or record now that will bless and challenge and encourage people 150 years into the future?