I was visiting with a friend at his father’s funeral visitation. We were talking about children, and he made an excellent point: We can have material positions, power, or money, but the real legacy we leave behind is our children. What kind of adults will they become? How will they reflect the values we’ve worked to instill in them?
That brings to mind Psalm 127, one of the Psalms attributed to Solomon. He also wrote Ecclesiastes. You may have memorized the second first verse of that book while in a moment of great depression: “’Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher, ‘Vanities of vanities! All is vanity.’”
In Psalm 127, Solomon returns to this theme, but in a brighter light. Verse 1 states, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it…” The Hebrew word for ‘house’ is a nimble word. It can be used to describe any building or any kind of container.
For example, our being. Unless we allow the Lord to build who we are as people, we toil in vain. A person who makes the wrong decision about Jesus Christ lives his entire life in vain. When he dies after rejecting Jesus, he discovers how vain his earthly life was. Dwelling in Hell for eternity is the most horrible vanity of all. It never ceases.
Another example is our family, which is a ‘container’ with the tightest connection possible. This is what Psalm 127:3-5 says about the younger ones of the family container: “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.”
Once a mother and father bring children into their home, they have this monumental opportunity to build the most wonderful legacy possible. Or they can create a monstrous debacle. What every new set of parents should ask themselves is the following: What are the best ways we can help our children come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior? Obviously, the answer should be creating an environment which will hopefully and ultimately cause each child under their care to someday declare, “I want Jesus in my life forever!”
Well done, parents! You will have created the most splendid legacy you could ever imagine. Speaking of imagining, fast forward to a hundred years from now when you’re sitting at the feet of Jesus. You look around and you see all of your children and grandchildren sitting with you. Could your smile grow any wider?
Verse four of Psalm 127 has come true for you: “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” Standing ovation for you because you carefully aimed your children in the right direction rather than carelessly allowing your ‘arrows’ to fly anywhere they wanted. Your arrows all hit the target you prayed diligently they would hit.
We can only feel sadness for those parents who allowed their ‘arrows’ to fly aimlessly with no direction. Let’s use alcohol as an example since it’s a mushrooming issue in nearly every community and home.
The Bible warns against drunkenness: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit…” (Ephesians 5:18)
Excuse the sarcasm, but what parent says, “I can’t wait for my child to enjoy some debauchery.” Or “Every kid indulges in debauchery at some point. Why not my kid?”
Then that kid marries, and kids follow. But he’s never able to leave the alcohol alone. His marriage falls apart, and his ‘arrows’ fly wildly trying to find answers and some semblance of a good life. But he has no answers for them.
Wouldn’t it had been better if he had taught his children the wisdom contained in Ephesians 5:18?
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) Therein, lies a glorious legacy.