Leaving a Legacy

As I read through First Chronicles recently I began to consider what it means to leave a legacy. I think for some a legacy is about making sure that their families are provided for after they are gone. For others it is about making sure that they are remembered. I don't believe that there is anything inherently wrong with either of these objectives in leaving a legacy, but I want my life to be about more than just being remembered or my family being taken care of. 

In David we find a strong biblical approach to what it means to leave a legacy. You may remember that David had wanted to build a temple for the Lord, but God told him that because he was a man of war that he could not build the temple. Instead, God chose Solomon, David's son, to build the temple. David's response is worthy of our emulation.

In 1 Chronicles 28 and 29 we see David preparing Solomon for the task. 

• David invested in Solomon's life spiritually. He charged him to serve God with a whole heart and with a willing mind.
• David instructed him on how to build the building.
• David provided for the building project. He began to collect much of the materials that would be necessary for the project and then he began to collect the finances that would be needed to pay the craftsmen.
• David challenged the people to come along side Solomon and support the project with the labor and their resources.

I believe that leaving a legacy shouldn't be about me at all. It's about preparing the next generation to succeed and go much farther than I could ever hope or dream. 

Let us leave the generations that follow us with these words:

1 Chronicles 28:20 (ESV) -- "Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished."