“I have been 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
So, back to the flowers again. Carol
and I were talking about the beautiful plants in our yard (which we
fondly refer to as a “happy place.”). Carol rightly observed that
a good number of the plants we enjoy year after year are plants that
were already part of our yard when we bought the house in 2005. All
the azaleas, the nandinas, a few daffodils and lilies, two beautiful
old camellia bushes – they were part of our landscape when we moved
in, and we've kept them around. We also have a few clippings that we
gleaned from our neighbor's yard before she moved away at the age of
95 years old (she told us to take them, so it's okay; we're not
thieves, you know).
Unless you're the original owner of
your home, you probably are the beneficiary of some shrubs,
bushes, or other perennials that previous owners left behind.
Technically, trees are perennials, so even if you have pulled
everything out of the garden, your yard still probably bears at least
some imprint from those who have gone before you.
I, for one, am grateful for the Puseys
(the family that owned the house before us), because much of the
beauty we get to enjoy in our yard comes as a result of the seeds,
bulbs, and bushes that they planted. Carol and I are the heirs of a
legacy
I think the Christian faith works much
in the same way. So much of what you and I get to enjoy comes to us
as a result of people who have gone before us. Some of them are
people we have known – our parents, Sunday School teachers,
pastors, youth leaders, etc. – and who have been intentional about
handing off the faith to us. But there are also countless other
people who never knew us, yet they loved God so much that they wanted
to leave a legacy of faith that would enable others to appreciate
God's faithfulness and love. They planted the seeds, but we get to
enjoy the fruit.
My heart wells up with gratitude for
the faithful generations who invested their lives in the ministry of
the church, so that you and I would have a community that would help
us develop our own faith in Jesus Christ. Because they gave of
themselves so generously – in terms of time and personal resources
and commitment – you and I have received a wonderful gift called
the Body of Christ.
As one who has been given this amazing
treasure called the church, I want those who come after me to possess
this same treasure. Certainly that includes my children and
grandchildren (when they come, Lord willing). But I also want people whom I will never know to experience the richness of God's grace and
love. That's why I am so invested in the church, not so much as an
institution, but as a community of faithful disciples sharing the
gospel with new generations of disciples.
In his letter to Timothy, the apostle
Paul acknowledges that Timothy's faith arose from his spiritual
forebears: “I have been 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)
Timothy was at least a third-generation
Christian (Grandmother, mother, and then Timothy).
I don't know how many generations back
my Christian family tree goes; I suspect a long, long way back. But
this I do know: For our children, and their children, Carol and I
want to be more than just their grandparents by birth; we also want
to be their spiritual grandparents, passing the faith on to them. And
for countless others whom I will never meet, I hope that the faith
that has enriched my life with blessing upon blessing, comfort upon
comfort, hope upon hope, will somehow trickle down to new
generations.
The beauty of what I have inherited
from those who have gone before me, I want for others to experience
for centuries to come.
I hope you do, too.
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