Hope Builds Legacy

Legacy in its most basic expression is defined as a gift left by an ancestor to a family member. Leaving my sons One million dollars in my will would make the one million dollars the legacy. When I think of legacy though, I think of this term in a much broader use of the term. In fact, the way I was taught about this term growing up was never referring to material things that were passed down. Legacy has so much more depth in the word. It’s not just about leaving money or gifts, its about learning wisdom, discovering truth, while tapping into the power of faith, love and hope and teaching your sons and daughters to be empowered by those same principles.
The first truth I want to share about legacy is that one will not leave a legacy if they do not spend their life gaining knowledge and truth to leave. The greatest legacy that a father can leave his son, or a mother leave her daughter is wisdom. Wisdom is the key to healthy relationships, attaining wealth and achieving success.
The second truth I want to share with you about legacy is that no one can leave your legacy. The way you interpret, understand and grasp ideas are very distinct and unlike others. So, your creativity and perception may be taught in such a unique way that others can not teach it like you. We can pass down the same principles, but we cannot pass down the same passions.
The third truth about legacy that I want to share with you is the fact that leaving a legacy must first begin with hope. Hope is something that is not yet seen but through hope we believe for it. Legacy and hope are greatly connected because in order to begin preparation of leaving legacy you must see the value preparing to leave a legacy with those who remain alive after you are gone.
I coined the statement that Legacy begins with hope because it is the hope that we have for the generations behind us we are driven to cultivate, to develop, to help heal and to focus more on what type of impact we strive to make. Legacy begins with hope because without hope no schools, communities or churches would be built. Without the hope of these institutions the people who dwell in them would not have the mind to impact others with all the information and data we have gained in our experience.
Take a moment and ponder about how each of us as individuals and as a community can grow and begins to share our strengths with others to sow daily seeds of legacy. The way we teach, encourage and bless others is the way we leave our legacy and fulfills the hope we have for those that look up to us.