The house of the righteous contains great treasure (Proverbs 15:6 NIV).
What if your home burned down? Or all your possessions were stolen? What would you have to pass on? Through Jesus—plenty.
In contrast to earthly treasure, an eternal inheritance impacts generation after generation. Even now, my parents, who taught me about Jesus at a young age, have helped build faith into my children and grandchildren and generations to come.
To pass on our faith, we must purpose to do so and be intentional about it. When I interviewed dozens of grandparents, they gave these examples of how they share their faith and help their grandchildren grow spiritually.
Model: “Grandchildren watch what you do and say. They can see that church and Sunday school are important to us. When we took care of them, we always read a Bible story to them when we put them to bed.” Grandpa Bill
Share: “I often share what Jesus has done for me and the difference He’s made in my life. I’m pretty spontaneous in sharing His blessings.” Grandma Donna
- Write: “I’m writing my life story with an emphasis on my relationship with Jesus.” Grandma Eva
- Read: “Read Bible stories, and let them know that Jesus is a very real person.” Grandma Jeanne
- Take them to church: “When our first grandson was two, our children were not attending church regularly. We picked up our grandson and took him to Sunday School. After a while, he began asking his parents to take him, and they have.” Grandma Carole
- Teach: “We have devotions when the grandchildren are with us. Sometimes we gather around the piano and sing together.” Grandma Sylvia
- Apply to life: We relate our spiritual values to everyday situations. We don’t wait to talk about Jesus until we are praying or having a Bible lesson. We watch for everyday opportunities to bring the reality of Jesus into their lives. Grandma Shirley
The greatest gift we can give our children and grandchildren is a legacy of faith. With God’s help, let’s pass the baton of faith securely into the hands of future generations.
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for keeping an inheritance for us in heaven that won’t perish, spoil, or fade. We want to lay up a rich inheritance for our children and grandchildren. Help us persevere, stand firm in our faith, and build a strong foundation for them to build on. May they see that our faith in Jesus is real and desire it as well.
Adapted from Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting by Lydia E. Harris. AMG Publishers, 2010.
About Lydia Harris
Lydia E. Harris is happily married to Milt, her sweetheart for 48 years. She has two married children, five grandkids, and is the author of a Bible study, "Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting" (AMG Publishers, 2010 release). She's also a tea enthusiast and writes the column "A Cup of Tea with Lydia."
