Legacy Living

Photo by Lawrence Crayton on Unsplash

"A good character is the best tombstone.  Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when the forget-me-nots have withered.  Carve your name on hearts, not on marble."  – Charles Spurgeon

When I was born, I inherited a strong-willed teenage mother who was dedicated to raising me. Everything I had was a result of her hard work and commitment. As a teenage mother, she sacrificed her youth to provide for me and worked tirelessly to meet my basic needs. My grandmother, her mother, helped co-parent me for the first eight years of my life while my mother worked. Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away from cancer when I was eight, leaving my mother to care for me alone. Shortly after, my grandfather also passed away. By the time my mother was 30, she had lost both of her parents and had to take care of them before they passed. Eventually, she was left to raise my siblings and me with no one to rely on but herself, occasionally receiving help from her brothers and sisters.

After their passing, she did not receive any inheritance or estate; she was left with values and ethics, but nothing monetary.

I don't believe that legacy planning was a priority during that time. I think survival was the main goal. It's not uncommon for Black individuals to be left with nothing when their parents pass away. Much of this is a result of systemic injustices in American history and lack of awareness. Many black individuals, even today, struggle to think about their legacy, let alone how they will manage their finances. Nevertheless, whether they actively think about it or not, they are passing something on to the next generation, even if it's not something substantial like financial security, a home, a family business, or jewelry. They are passing on their faith, values, ethics, and lack of awareness.

The actions of an individual during their lifetime can have a lasting impact on future generations. My mother began establishing her legacy from the moment she became a parent. She devoted her entire life to raising my siblings and me, working tirelessly to provide for us, ensure our safety, and support our education. She encouraged us to pursue schooling and further our education. As we reached adulthood, she motivated us to find employment. As she matured, she began financially planning her legacy to leave us an inheritance should anything happen to her. She initiated an insurance policy and included my siblings and me in it. Thus, not only did she raise us, but she also intends to leave us a financial legacy when she passes away.

Why is it important to discuss this? God believes in living a legacy. It means living in a way that passes on something valuable to the next generation, putting them in a better position than you are in. It involves using your God-given gifts and talents to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

If the previous generation didn't leave anything behind, you will have to work hard to create wealth and care for your basic needs, just like my mother did.

Now that I have children, I didn't immediately start thinking about legacy living or planning. It was my wife who began to discuss it first. She discussed creating accounts for our children, and we followed through with it. Eventually, I thought about how to leave them an inheritance. But more than just money, I pondered the legacy of faith I wanted to leave behind. What did I want to be remembered for? Now, I make decisions within my career and ministry with this in mind. How can I shape my journey and give my children a legacy they can feel confident about and grow in their future? It's time for me to plan for an inheritance for them.

Scripture says, "A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous."‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭13‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This mindset changes the way I approach life. It helps me understand God's purpose for the Bible. God wrote the Bible as a legacy plan for the children of God. His word is our inheritance. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit as an inheritance so that we have the power to overcome darkness and sin while living on earth.

After understanding this, I feel empowered to lead a purposeful life that involves considering what I will leave behind. I'm sharing this with you so you can contemplate how you live. Are you living to leave a legacy or just living in the moment?