May 20 Devotion: A Faith Worth Passing Down

3).  I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

4).  Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;  

5).  When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois,  and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

                               2 TIMOTHY 1:3-5 (KJV)

The most precious thing we can pass down to children is our faith—the conviction that God is who He says He is and will do all He has promised. Timothy’s strong relationship with Christ didn’t materialize out of thin air; it grew because his mother and grandmother were godly examples. Here are some ways that we, too, can hand down a rich legacy to the next generation: 

• Teach biblical principles. Kids need to know God’s views on wealth (PSALMS 24:1), the way to meet needs (PHILEMON 4:19), and direction in life (PROVERBS 3:5-6).

• Model character through lifestyle. How we live communicates what we truly believe about the Lord.

• Serve God by serving others. Actions show that our faith is real (JAMES 2:26).

• Intercede on their behalf. Kids won’t forget hearing us pray regularly for them.

• Communicate love in every way possible. They need to know we love them the way that God does—unconditionally.

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As caregivers, we must be intentional about leading the next generation to Christ. This means anyone in a child’s orbit can leave a legacy. Look at Paul: Though neither married nor a biological parent, he was a spiritual father to many (1 CORINTHIANS 4:14-16).

-IBC