The first story was about Bernie Madoff, the ponzi scheme convict, who cheated masses of people out of millions of dollars. His adult son cracked under pressure and killed himself. I remember thinking...gain the world and lose your soul...and your wealth....and your family....and your dignity. It was a story that could have come right out of the 1 or 2 Samuel or Kings or any number of books in the Old Testament.
What happens
when a father chases after
everything that doesn't matter
to gain the world and lose his soul
His son
who is desperate to know
the value of his soul
learns to put his hope in wealth
And the kingdom crashes down
And there's blood spilled on the ground
-lyrics from Legacy
The story that followed was an interview with Elizabeth Smart, ten years after she was abducted as a 14-year-old from her homeand forced to live as the slave of a creepy, crazy couple in Utah, until she was found 9 months later. What struck me was that even though she had endured a nightmare, she was clearly loved and adored by her parents and was recovering beautiful, even talking about a growing passion to become a lawyer to help other victims of violent crimes.
What about a legacy
of faith and hope and charity
for the children looking up to me
what about a legacy
What about solid ground
what about a love profound
mercy, Jesus, work in me
to leave a legacy
-lyrics from Legacy
All of us who have entered into the great adventure of parenting must carefully count the cost and consider the legacy our children will inherit. We can store up treasures here on earth, convincing ourselves it is what our family needs and wants, or we can lay a foundation of faith and character that they CAN.NOT.LOSE. We can teach them the value of their souls. There is no greater legacy.
I like to tell myself that I am building a legacy of faith for my family, but I know that many days what I am really building is a legacy of stuff, or worse yet, apathy. Will they say I pointed them to Christ? That I taught them to live as God's people? I think it's time I sat down and examined my strategies and motives, because the stuff we have isn't much of an inheritance, but the faith we have will sustain them all.
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