Choose Humility

Over the next four weeks we are going to learn the practical principles to live and teach if we are going to be people whom Live a Legacy. So over the next four weeks I will post some practical suggestions on implementing four Legacy Principles. These principles are foundational to being people who are dependent upon Christ to live a life that honors and glorifies him.

Instead of trying to get this into one solid time block and becoming frustrated, work it in throughout your week. Begin the discussion today and carry it through this week each day. Follow Moses’ Model: Simple and frequent conversations about Jesus. This week’s theme, the first legacy principle, is “Humble Yourself.”

Legacy Principle #1: Humble Yourself.

Ask these types of questions:

What is humility?  What is pride?  How can we choose humility personally? As a family?  In what ways have we chosen pride in the past? Or any others you find in The Journey Daily Guide.

Memorize this verse:

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

~James 4:10, ESV

Read and discuss these passages:

James 4:1-10

Philippians 2:1-11

Keeping it simple does not mean that it will not have a profound effect on you and your family. Keep your conversations short and frequent. Use examples of people who display pride or humility while you live life together. Whether that is at a sporting event, watching television, or eating together. Christ at the center means we bring him into every area of our lives. Living a Legacy begins with the intentional choice to be a person who submits himself or herself to God. May God bless you as you choose humility in your life this week.

Where do I start?

Many people find themselves in a place of desiring to Live a Legacy, but they are not sure how. In our current series we have discovered the “why” we should Live a Legacy, but over the next few weeks we will learn four principles that we can build our lives upon teaching them to those we are called to influence.

This past week we learned a basic principle from Moses on training our children in following Christ from Deuteronomy 6:7. We observed Moses’ Model for spiritual development in the lives of those we influence.  Moses’ model: Simple and frequent conversations about Jesus. While having regular times of prayer, Bible reading, and devotional discussions are all important, the heart of Living a Legacy requires frequent simple conversations about Jesus.

The first part of Deuteronomy 6:7 says, “You shall teach them diligently...” To teach with diligence requires constant attention but it is not complicated. We see that spiritual training is supposed to be ongoing; it is continuous throughout our lives, in every area of lives. We are to have continual spiritual conversations with our children. We are to remind them of everything that God has taught us and of God’s rescue from being people trapped in death as slaves to sin.

So often we think that we can’t lead our children spiritually because we don’t have all the answers. But God does not require us to have all the answers. God’s plan is to make spiritual development part of every day life. We are supposed to see every area of life as an opportunity to talk about Jesus, who he is, what he has done, what he is doing, how much he loves us, and why we follow him. The model that Moses talks about is taking the spiritual formation of those we influence into every day life, in every area of life. It is talking about how Jesus affects our children as students, as athletes, in the school band, and on the playground. It is allowing Jesus to influence every area of our lives. 

Living a Legacy

There are 168 hours in a week. As followers of Jesus, we have all the same demands that the world places on unbelievers plus the need to guide our own hearts along with the hearts of others we influence. So how do we do it? How do we ensure that we are influencing our children and the other people in our lives in the direction of Christ?

We start a new series this week about living lives that leave behind a legacy of humility, love, and joy reflecting the heart of Jesus. This series isn’t just for parents because we are all called to influence the people that God has placed into our lives for his glory. It is, however, essential for parents to understand their vital role in Living a Legacy as they seek to guide their children’s hearts toward Christ.

I am excited about this series because I have so much to learn in this area personally. That may seem weird, but even as a pastor I struggle with what it means to be the primary spiritual influence in my family. So I want to encourage you to not miss a week over the next seven, as we go from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day discovering what it means for us to be people who are Living a Legacy.