Heritage is what you leave behind; the habits, characteristics, or genes you pass on to the following generations through your children and their children. This heritage can be good; someone quoted Toni Thomas as saying, “I was raised. I didn’t just grow up. I was taught to speak when I enter a room, say please and thank you, to have respect for my elders, lend a helping hand to those in need, hold the door for the person behind me, say excuse me when it’s needed, and to love people for who they are, not for what you can get from them! I was also taught to treat people the way I want to be treated!”
This heritage can also be bad; despite all his outstanding qualities, Abraham had a tendency toward deception, as when he lied to King Abimelech about his true relationship with Sarah. That same character flaw can be seen in his son and grandsons. The examples you set for your children become a part of their heritage. A grandson was sitting in a booster seat equipped with a little steering wheel and was helping his father drive on the interstate. When another driver suddenly cut in front of us, the little toddler exclaimed, “dumb ass!” I wonder where he learned that heritage.
I’ve been a football fan and followed the sport for over 60 years, and I cannot remember another single player attracting the attention and media coverage of the rookie Denver quarterback, Tim Tebow. Beyond his performance on the playing field, this recognition comes from Tebow’s speaking out and demonstrating his faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Tim is the son of evangelical missionaries and much of who he is can be credited to his heritage. In 2009 Tebow led the Florida Gators to the College Football National Championship; and wore “John 3:16” printed in his eye black during the game. The results of his action would be hard to measure, but it’s been reported that following the game, 97 million people “Googled” John 3:16 to see what it said; 97 million people exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ through one man’s actions. God bless this man’s heritage.
Most people alive today know of Billy Graham, but few have heard of Edward Kimball. On Saturday morning, April 21, 1855 in the back stockroom of a shoe store in Chicago, Illinois; a shoe salesman and Sunday school teacher named Edward Kimball led another young shoe salesman to the Lord. On that morning Dwight L. Moody accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. Subsequently young Moody became an evangelist and stirred F. B. Myer to become a soul winner. Meyer brought Wilbur Chapman to the Lord, and Chapman, along with Billy Sunday, held a revival where Mordecai Ham was saved.
It was Mordecai Hamm who led Billy Graham to the Lord and Graham became possibly the greatest evangelist of all time. Could Edward Kimball have dreamed of the avalanche he was starting and the heritage he was leaving when he witnessed to that young shoe salesman on that Saturday morning?
Imagine what could result the next time you witness to someone about the Lord? God has promised that His Word will not return void. “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11
Let’s be cautious with our heritage and bold in our witness.
