Psalm 112:1-6
Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the one who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in God’s commandments!
2 Their offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their house,
and their righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the one who deals generously and lends;
who conducts their affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
they will be remembered forever.
When I read this passage, it makes me think of my Grandmother. Mother of three, grandmother to seven, she raised her family through good times and the hard times to grow in their faith. Sure, Grandpa was the preacher, but if you’ve known anyone in ministry, then you know his ministry wasn’t possible without her ministry. And though it may have been quieter than someone standing in a pulpit, its reach may have gone even further.
When you have children, you spend your life teaching them what is important. Either by explicitly explaining your values and why you follow certain traditions (“we are learning to speak this language because it connects us to our family heritage”). Or implicitly through your actions (you never watched cricket growing up so it’s not an important sport to you). Good habits, bad habits, the way you talk, the way you treat people: your kids are experts at sussing out what is actually important to you.
From my grandmother, all her children learned about the importance of being active in their faith. Even now, when everyone’s gotten old but me, they still pass on the lessons she taught to them. They’re all involved in passing on the faith to their children, their friends, and their neighbors. They were taught the importance and value of sacrifice.
I pray that we can all have a legacy like my grandma. The people around you can see what you hold to be most important. Let us do our best to keep our focus where it needs to be. Let our legacies be remembered forever.