Mordecai couldn’t leave meaningful wealth to Esther, but when he died, he would have left something far more valuable- a legacy. The good news is that we can begin to cultivate a legacy even if we don’t yet have children.

A legacy is an inheritance handed down from one generation to the next, by which our descendants remember us. The most important legacies are not monetary but emotional, spiritual, and moral, and they center on the character of the person leaving them.

Legacies from the past affect a family’s future. We all know families with long-standing reputations of good character- kindness, honesty, decency, and upstanding behavior. We all know fortunate people who inherited such a positive legacy from their parents and grandparents, and we can see the great advantages to them in terms of self-esteem and emotional well-being.

On the other hand, we are aware of the handicaps borne by those who are plagued by a parent’s negative legacy of character and behavior. While we like to believe that an individual can overcome any disadvantage, we all know that what has happened in our families can seem either a blessing or a curse on our lives.

Take some time to pray individually or as a couple. As you pray…

Acknowledge the legacy your family left for you;

Share your deepest feelings about that legacy;

Ask God to bless your efforts to create a meaningful legacy for your children.

Take time to reflect on these questions:

What kind of legacy did your parents and grandparents leave for you? Explain.

How has that legacy affected your life?

What has been your legacy to your children so far? What would you like to change?

Consider these passages for further study on leaving a legacy:

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

”These are the commands, rules, and laws that the Lord your God told me to teach you to obey in the land you are crossing the Jordan River to take. You, your children, and your grandchildren must respect the Lord your God as long as you live. Obey all his rules and commands I give you so that you will live a long time. Listen, Israel, and carefully obey these laws. Then all will go well for you, and you will become a great nation in a fertile land, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Listen, people of Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Always remember these commands I give you today.“
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NCV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/105/deu.6.1-6.NCV

Proverbs 22:6

”Train children to live the right way, and when they are old, they will not stray from it.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭6‬ ‭NCV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/105/pro.22.6.NCV

Ephesians 6:1-2

”Children, obey your parents as the Lord wants because this is the right thing to do. The command says, “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first command that has a promise with it—“
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NCV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/105/eph.6.1-2.NCV

What do you do to prepare and plan to have for your legacy?

We look at our legacy with our insurance and what we leave financially. Yet, how do we leave a legacy of character? It truly takes a lifetime and lifelong example of how you act and treat others to be an example of how you impact others. Great thoughts of Gary Chapman to help us focus on our kindness, honesty, decency, and upstanding behavior.