Are you leaving a legacy?
I’m not asking about an inheritance of money or property but something far more than that.
I am thinking of the relationships we nurture; parental obviously but also an auntie to her niece and the many relationships where the nurturing of values shape people most closest to us.
There are so many legacy examples; professional legacies, community legacies, those in education between teacher and student
The most sustainable legacies often aren’t about monuments to ourselves, but about enabling others to flourish. It’s not about being remembered but more about the future generations own lifestyle, being even better than yours.
This can be seen in these verses:-
“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Timothy 1:5 NIV
Faith didn’t begin with Timothy—it flowed through his grandmother Lois to his mother Eunice, and finally to him.
This was sincere and genuine faith. In chapter 3 we will read how Paul reminded Timothy he had learnt the Scriptures as an infant. Even before she became a Christian, as a Jewess she was sharing her Abrahamic faith and the Old Testament stories with Timothy. She made known the Holy Scriptures till Timothy owned them himself.
This wasn’t performance faith —it was authentic, lived-out faith that shaped daily decisions and character. This kind of faith is so compelling that it naturally influences the next generation.
Your faith matters more than you might realise.
Lois and Eunice probably had no idea that their names would be recorded in Scripture as examples of faithful influence. The faith you live out daily—not just the words you speak—creates a legacy that can impact generations.
We are all part of a great chain of faith that stretches back through generations and forward into the future. The faith we’ve received from others carries with it the responsibility to pass it on faithfully to those who come after us.
God works through ordinary people—grandmothers, mothers, mentors, and friends—to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.
Paul’s words to Timothy echo across the centuries to encourage us: the sincere faith that lives in us today connects us to a story much larger than ourselves. We are recipients of an ancient faith and stewards of a timeless truth. What we do with that faith—how we live it, share it, and pass it on—matters not just for our own lives but for generations yet to come.
Whether you’re sitting in a prison cell like Paul, facing the challenges of raising children like Lois and Eunice, or simply trying to live faithfully in whatever circumstances you find yourself, remember this: sincere faith, lived out consistently and shared authentically, has the power to change not just individual lives but entire family lines and communities.
Missions Paul 