A Legacy Worth Leaving
If your kids inherited only your character, what would they actually be getting? The greatest inheritance you can leave isn’t what you put in your children’s hands, it’s what you put in their hearts.
Proverbs 13:22 says a good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children. Most of us hear “inheritance” and think of money, property, or investments. Building wealth and providing for your family matter, but Chris argues that inheritance runs deeper than a bank account. Whether you realize it or not, your children are already receiving one from you. They see your faith, your work ethic, how you treat your wife, how you handle money, and how you respond when life gets hard. You don’t need to be in a certain tax bracket to leave a legacy. The only question is what kind.
A man can leave his children a million dollars and no wisdom to manage it. He can leave them property but no relationship with God, possessions but no example of integrity. When your kids learn from you to work hard, honor God, keep their word, give generously, save wisely and never quit, that inheritance shapes generations. The verse looks past your children to their children. It pictures a man asking what he can build today that will bless people he may never meet. That’s legacy. So build, save, give, teach, lead, and pray. Most of all, build your life on Jesus, because the greatest legacy isn’t that your family remembers your name. It’s that they remember the God you served.
Verse of the Day: Proverbs 13:22
Your Daily Man-Up Challenge
Ask yourself one question: “What am I building today that will still matter 30 years from now?” Then take one practical step toward your family’s future. You could put money into savings, pay down debt, teach your child something you’ve learned, pray with your kids at bedtime or the dinner table, or recommit to consistency in your walk with God. Do one thing today your future family will thank you for. Don’t just leave them possessions. Leave them a foundation.
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The Men's Morning Devotional is a podcast to help you man up in every way - in your faith, your family and your work - by spending a few minutes getting into the Word before you face the world.
Every weekday, you'll get a challenge and encouragement from Scripture that speaks to the pressures you carry as a husband, a father, and a leader. You’ll get truth you can take straight into your day. And you’ll know you’re not standing alone, because men everywhere are waking up to fight the same battle.
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Gentlemen, every day is a battle. A battle for your faith, your family, and your purpose. The men who stand drawn don't prepare when the battle arrives. They prepare before we get out. Welcome to the men's morning devotion. Let's get into God's word. It's time to manup.
SPEAKER_01Good morning, gentlemen. I'm Chris Muinya, and it's time for another man up moment. This week I'm continuing in Proverbs chapter 13, with today's devotional being about legacy. I encourage you to share this devotional with someone who you think would benefit from it. Proverbs 13, verse 22 says this a good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous. When we hear the word inheritance, most of us immediately think about money, property, investments, or something valuable being passed down to our children. And there's nothing wrong with building wealth. In fact, Scripture encourages us to work hard, provide for our families, manage what God has entrusted to us, and think beyond ourselves. In another verse, it even says that a house and riches are the inheritance of fathers. But inheritance is bigger than money. A man should be thinking about what he is leaving behind long before he is gone. What will your children inherit from you? Maybe they'll inherit a business, or your will, maybe even investments and properties. But what about your character? What about your faith, your work ethic? What about the way you treat your wife? What about the way you handle money? What about the way you respond when life gets hard? Your children are watching you build your life right now, and whether you realize it or not, you are already leaving them an inheritance. And you don't have to be in a certain tax bracket to do this. So the question is this what kind? A man can leave his children a million dollars and leave them with no wisdom to manage it. He can leave them with property but no relationship with God. He can leave them with possessions, but no example of integrity. He can leave them everything materially and still leave them emotionally and spiritually empty. The greatest inheritance isn't simply what we put in our children's hands, it's what we put in their hearts. If your children learn from you to work hard, honor God, keep your word, treat people with respect, love their family, give generously, save wisely, and never quit when life gets difficult. That is an inheritance that can impact generations. Think about the second generation mentioned in this verse. They are children's children. That's the picture of a man who's thinking beyond himself. He's not asking, how can I make my life better? He's asking, what can I build today that will bless people I may never even meet? That's legacy. Maybe you won't live long enough to meet your great grandchildren, but your decisions today can affect them. The way you raise your children can affect how they raise theirs. The financial decisions you make today can affect your family's future. The spiritual foundations you establish in your home can continue long after you're gone. So man up. Don't just live for today. Build, save, give, teach, lead, pray. Invest in your family. There is a return on that investment that is priceless. And most importantly, build your life on Jesus. Because the greatest legacy a man can leave isn't simply that his family remembers his name, it's that his family remembers the God he served. So here's your man up challenge. Today, ask yourself one question. What am I building today that will still matter 30 years from now? Then take one practical step towards your family's future. Maybe it's putting money into a savings or an investment account. Maybe it's paying down debt. Maybe it's teaching your child something you've learned. Maybe it's sitting down with your kids and praying with them before bed or at the dinner table. Maybe it's making a decision to become more consistent in your walk with God. Do one thing today that your future family will be thankful you did. Don't just leave your children possessions. Leave them a foundation. Let's pray. Father, thank you for everything you've entrusted to me. Give me wisdom to build something that will bless my family for generations. Teach me to think beyond myself and to live with eternity and legacy in mind. Let the decisions I make today become a blessing for my children and their children. Most importantly, let my family inherit a genuine faith in you because of the way I lived. In Jesus' name. Amen.
SPEAKER_00Lead well, stand strong, honor God in everything you do. Share this devotional with another brother. Remember, every day is another opportunity to man up.