What Is Your Heritage

What does it mean to have a “heritage?”  The dictionary defines it as: the characteristics, traits and monetary gains of a family passed from one generation to the next; the culture, traditions and national assets preserved from one generation to another.  All families like to believe that they have a heritage that has been passed down from generation to generation – a heritage they want to keep alive and pass on to their children.  But did you know that God has given individual families a “heritage?”  As parents, God has given us a wonderful blessing through children (Psalm 127:3-5).  God wants us to teach them the rich ancestry that they have in our  Heavenly Father. 

Using Proverbs 22:6, God instructs us to invest in our children by nurturing them and preparing them for the future.  We should invest spirituality in our children by training and teaching them how to live using Godly principles through the Word of God (Deuteronomy 11:19).  Our children will not be exempt from the attacks of the enemy (satan).  The enemy won’t wait until they are grown to attack them, he starts while they are young.  He plants seeds of fear, doubt and insecurity into their little minds by the negative actions of other people and from what they observe daily in their environment.  Teaching our children the power of prayer and how to talk with God will help them develop a trust relationship with Him, and when they are tempted by the enemy or hurt by other’s actions they will know who to go to for help. 

It is also very important to invest spiritually into our children by teaching them the importance of attending a full-gospel Bible believing church. This will help prepare them for life and life issues.  We need to teach them the act of forgiving one another and how to love one another as Christ loves us. Knowing how to forgive and loving God will increase their inner strength and boosting their self-esteem.  Investing spiritual wealth into our children is just as important as a secular education. These two forms of education will be an equal balance for their future.

We can nurture our children by creating an atmosphere of love and security for them.  With so much unrest in the world, children need the assurance of stability in their home life.  Allow them to see God’s love through your life as a pattern to follow.  Try to keep a good balance between secular activities and church activities – God’s Word says we should be in the world, but apart from the world.  More importantly, the more time you spend with your children encouraging them, teaching them, and showing interest in their achievements will have a greater influence in their life for the future more than any activity.

Preparing children for the future is very important, yet often times difficult steps for parents.  We don’t want our children to feel as if they have to do without or they are different from other children.  That’s why it’s so important to seek God’s wisdom in raising the heritage He blessed each of us with. We need to know how to instill into our children the correct discipline, values and morals; otherwise we risk the chance of our children being void of integrity and the ability to be responsible men and women in the future.  God says if we ask, and ask believing we shall receive, so ask God for help believing that He will assist you in raising your children with reverence, love and admonition for the Lord.  We want the best for our children, but remember God does too! 

Last, but not least, God has given every child a different personality, gift and ability to eventually be used for His kingdom.  As God makes these gifts known, we should encourage our children to master these gifts and talents.  Let them know also that when using them for God’s kingdom they will be greatly rewarded.  Because God says, when we seek His kingdom, all other things will be added (Matthew 6:33).  Children are our future, so give them the right start in life with the “right foundation – Jesus.”

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