Sæktu forritiðChildren Emulate Their Parents: A 3-Day Parenting PlanSýnishorn
Legacy of a Good Man
"A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children." (Proverbs 13:22)
Dr. Willis B. Dobson was a good man. He was also my (Dr. Dobson's) uncle. He earned his Ph.D. in Shakespearean English at the University of Texas and taught for more than forty years at a small Christian college. He worked for peanuts compared to what he could have earned at a state university, but he had other priorities than acquiring wealth. When his beloved wife succumbed to cancer, Uncle Willis rededicated his life to the service of others. At age seventy he began a taxi service for what he called “old people.” He set up a refreshment stand in front of his house for the trash collectors. One frigid night in December, Uncle Willis and his son, Bill, walked past a drunken man sitting on a curb. My uncle suddenly stopped, went back, and placed his overcoat around the man’s shoulders. “Why did you do that?” asked Bill. “That coat is brand-new.”
“Because,” Uncle Willis replied, “I have two coats and that man has none.”
Willis B. Dobson was simply following the command of his God (see Luke 3:11). He never received great acclaim for his selfless commitment to others, but he was remembered with deep affection by his family and was a role model for me. I hope I can leave that kind of legacy to my family.
Questions for Today . . .
- Are you modeling an attitude of service to your kids?
- What were your most selfless acts in the last week? In the last year?
- How can you do more for others?
Prayer . . .
Dear Father, the months and years speed by so quickly. Help me to live purposefully, remembering that my legacy to my children has little to do with money—and everything to do with how I heed and obey Your Spirit. Amen.
(Excerpted from Dr. James and Shirley Dobson’s book, Night Light for Parents. Used with permission.)
Bonus Content: Leaving a Godly Legacy
What are you leaving your children after you’re gone? In this video, Brenen and Morgan Beeler share how their parents left a spiritual legacy that will last for eternity. The impact didn’t come from inheriting material possessions, but from the greatest gift they could have received—a godly foundation that will never end.
About this Plan
There may be no more sobering reality for us as parents than to realize that our children are learning how to talk, think, and act based on the direction and examples we set for them through daily life. Children notice and imitate what they see and hear from us. The principle of “more is caught than taught” is at work to a greater extent than we realize, which underscores the power of influence.
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