A Legacy Better than the Hall of Fame

It’s fourth and inches and the outcome of this play could change the course of the game—and possibly an entire season. Nothing is more exciting than these clutch moments for an NFL fan!

It was a dismal year for Minnesota Vikings fans like me. From the very beginning, the season droned on with that familiar feeling, “Maybe next year… but probably not.” The clutch moments were missed repeatedly. Unless it was the other team, of course. However, there was one bright spot, Jared Allen, a Minnesota fan-favorite defensive end (2008-2013), was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Known for coming up with a big sack when a clutch moment was needed. His personality was as big as his game; Allen sported a mullet and was known for his humorous calf-roping celebration after every sack. 

Wearing his newly acquired Pro Football Hall of Fame gold jacket, Allen addressed his daughters in his acceptance speech. He said, “Through this process, the word 'legacy' has been talked about a lot. The Hall of Fame says I'm here to tell my story… If all they talk about is this gold jacket and my career, then I failed miserably as a father, a husband, and a friend. You two are my legacy.” That, Jared Allen, could be the biggest clutch moment of your career!

In a world where children are viewed as a distraction and deterrent to career and success, the Bible paints a different picture. Children are a heritage—a legacy worth focused time and effort. The Bible tells the story of stewarding the heritage of children to build a legacy of faith.

Children Are a Heritage

Different cultures around the world value children in varying ways. In Mongolia, for example, children are highly honored; they are the pride and joy of the family. In other parts of the world, children are sometimes seen as a nuisance. In areas of poverty, they may even be seen as a threat to survival. In affluent regions, children are a potential threat to social mobility and leisure. 

The Bible, however, fosters a deep-rooted value for children: “Children are a heritage from the Lord” (Ps. 127:3). Before thinking of children as a “legacy,” the Bible teaches that children are a “heritage,” that is, a gift from God. 

This may be hard to remember as you are on your way to the hospital to get a LEGO dislodged from a nostril, or you are getting kicked (literally) out of your bed in the middle of the night, or you are cleaning toothpaste off the bathroom walls. But even these moments are part of the gift. 

The gift of children is one of the main themes of the first books of the Bible. Each birth in Genesis, even with the excruciating pain of labor, is celebrated and precious. Leah captures this biblical view of children when she gives birth to her sixth son, Zebulun, “God has presented me with a precious gift” (Gen. 30:19). Children are a gift, a heritage from the Lord. 

Stewarding the Heritage

The heritage of children, however, is a gift that needs to be cultivated. Children are born into a fallen world with daily pressures. They are also born with a sin nature and a natural pull toward evil. The book of Proverbs paints a stark contrast between two roads that lie before every child: the path of wisdom and righteousness or the path of folly and destruction. It is the parents’ role to give wisdom a voice in the child’s life as he or she grows. 

Proverbs, in many ways, is an extended commentary on Deuteronomy 6:7, which says parents are to diligently teach the children every moment of the day: “…when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Simply put, the parents must bear the primary responsibility for the education and formation of their children. This is not a responsibility we can outsource.

This takes intentionality and consistency that are difficult to live out. It means a moment-by-moment instruction grounded in the Word of God that is broad enough to have discernment in every circumstance and versatile enough to cover every age. So the parents themselves must be wise and discerning enough to guide and teach. Wisdom is knowing the structures of creation and knowing how to live wisely within it. But wisdom is more than mere knowledge of the world. It goes beyond that to a covenantal relationship with the Lord (Prov. 1:7) and knowing how to live redemptive, cross-centered lives in a sin-soaked world. True knowledge begins with covenantal fear based on the mercies of God in Jesus Christ, who is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24).

In recent years, there has been a heavy emphasis in some Christian circles on Proverbs 13:22, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” This is a worthy and wise endeavor, but the emphasis in the book of Proverbs falls on passing on an inheritance of covenant wisdom and the fear of the Lord. Giving a financial inheritance to children is a qualified good. In other words, it is only a blessing if you are passing it on to children who have not chosen the way of folly (Proverbs 17:2, 25).

The child will have the world’s enticements and seductions echoing in their ears and before their eyes (Prov. 1:10), but the parents speak biblical wisdom and instruction. The child then is responsible to not “despise wisdom” like a fool, but “listen to instruction” (Prov. 1:7–8). Just because we speak true biblical wisdom based on the gospel does not mean that our children will automatically be Christians. 

The dynamic of passing on a spiritual heritage is that the parent speaks wisdom, the child listens intently, and the heart is transformed in a way that guides behavior. It’s covenant wisdom that is revealed in the path and speech of the child. That child then grows, does not depart from the way of wisdom, and teaches the same things to the next generation (Prov. 4:20–27; 22:6). This is how a spiritual legacy takes shape! But it is important to note that this is not an equation. It depends on the heart transformation, which is a gift of God’s grace in the gospel.

But if we say nothing about our faith, there is a good chance that our children will never truly grasp our faith and turn away from the gospel. Children will not catch the faith automatically from their parents. Children respond to their parents’ speech and instruction. The gift needs cultivation and stewardship

The Legacy of Faith

As Jared Allen wrapped up his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, he not only told his daughters that they are his legacy. He also challenged them to step up, be his legacy, “always put Christ first”, and live in the world with conviction and courage. Compared to our children knowing Christ, an NFL Hall of Fame jacket or Super Bowl ring is merely a trifle. 

Every Christian parent hopes their children will embrace Christ in faith and follow the path of wisdom. Paul describes the legacy of Lois in the life of Timothy: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (2 Tim. 1:5). As parents, we rightly desire and work for this. 

For parents, every moment with their children is a “clutch moment” to pass on the legacy of faith. Ultimately, we surrender our children to the Lord. We hold this gift with an open hand, knowing that our deepest legacy is not our children themselves—but the faith we seek to pass on to them. We steward the heritage of our children and pray they live out the legacy of faith.