The Legacies That Last
One of the reasons that people pray to have children is so they can have someone inherit the things that they leave behind when they die.
Everybody works at one time or other from youth to old age and we acquire properties [money, lad, clothes, jewelry etc. all acquisitions are valuable and when left to a worthy successor, one derives satisfaction and fulfillment.
Our children (we pray) will have their own children to whom they in turn will pass their inheritance so it goes on from generation to generation. But do we pause to consider what kind of legacy we are leaving our children: perishable or nonperishable? When my Mother died, she left behind quite a few belongings [clothes, some jewelry beads and some gold. After the funeral, I went back home having invited one of my nieces. We opened Mama’s wardrobe and looked over its content. ‘Take what you want for yourself and your sister’, said I. ‘Take yours first ma’ she said by the way, I am the only daughter. I looked the wardrobe content over and considered that there was not really much of the clothing that I wanted because they were old style and quite a few were bought for her by me over the years. So I selected two old wrappers (allari and etu), which I later made into ipele and gele (shawl and matching head tie). I also took her prayer bell.
The fact that there was not much of her stuff that I needed or wanted left me thinking: when I die, how much of my stuff will my daughters and granddaughters want? And believe me, there is a lot of them especially clothes and like most Yoruba Oloris (Queens), I have a lot of beads of various colors and styles and values but my daughters have not so far showed much interest in them even though they admire them on me; once in a while when they want to go out to traditional outings like weddings and funerals, they ask me for a few that they think they could wear. As a result, most of my traditional possessions have lain untouched for years. I sometimes wonder what will happen to these things when I finally go home. What is the sum total of the wealth we acquire here on earth? We love our children and we want to leave them inheritances but what legacies are the ones they need and are sure to want when we are gone?
A good and godly heritage. With the help of God, we should be good role models to our children. Are you a praying parent? Do your children know you on your knees? Are you a good spouse or a nagger? Are you patient, kind and tolerant? Do you treat your husband or wife with due respect and honor? Are you a woman or man who curses or blesses? How is your walk with God? Do you love Jesus or are you a Christian for what’s in it for you here and now?
It is not wrong to want things from God but it is our priorities we must check. God has His own priorities. He said ‘Seek you first the kingdom of God and its righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6: 33). So my sisters and brothers, watch your prayers in front of your children. If you only pray for benefits from God, they will grow up thinking you don’t need God when things are going well for you. That will be a disastrous legacy. Let them see that you love God for who He is and not for what you can get. Believe me, they will learn the lesson and bless you for it even when you are long gone from this world. They will also pass the legacy on to their own offspring. It will never go out of fashion or become old style. It is a legacy that lasts.
Science has proved that a baby starts to learn from its mother even before birth. It will mimic its parents, especially its mother. If she is a girl, she will mimic her mum’s mannerisms, while a boy will mimic his father. As soon as they are old enough to talk, you will hear yourself spoken by your children. They will mirror you in many ways that can either be elating or embarrassing,
Christian virtues don’t cost you money to possess, only a choice to learn from Christ and then pass it on to your generations after you.
