Legacy

¹¹ Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. ¹² Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. ¹³ However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.” - 1 Kings 11:11-13

     The choices we make will impact future generations. This truth is seen throughout the Bible but is always a humbling reminder and challenge. The older I get, the more I think about the future. Kind of ironic considering how badly I wanted the future to hurry up when I was a kid. As a kid, the future just meant getting older and cooler and smarter and richer and getting the authority to boss people around. Now, getting older means being responsible and considering my impact on the world. How am I going to lead my family? What am I going to leave behind? How much money should I have for retirement? Most importantly is what I will leave behind spiritually. David left a strong legacy with blessings passing on to Solomon even in his sinfulness. Solomon, however, brought trials and troubles to the generation after him. His sin led others astray and would ultimately lead to civil war. He knew of David's legacy. He followed in his father's footsteps. Then he fell, and he continued to fall, and he didn't turn things back around. Because of his selfish desires, Solomon bestowed a tainted and painful legacy upon his children. What legacy will I leave? Am I willing to do what is right so that future generations may be blessed? Will I choose to follow my selfish desires at the expense of the future? Our actions are not confined to our lives only. I must stay true to God for not only my own sake, but for the sake of those who will follow after me.