The Heart of Legacy: What Are You Really Passing Down?

When we think about Christmas traditions, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos—the decorations, the food, the festivities, and the frantic energy that comes with the season. We throw everything into one big pot and call it "Christmas spirit." But beneath all the tinsel and wrapping paper lies a critical question: What kind of legacy are we actually creating and passing down to the next generation?

The truth is, legacy isn't primarily about traditions, rituals, or even family gatherings. Legacy flows from the heart. And if we're honest with ourselves, what occupies our hearts will inevitably shape what we pass on to those who come after us.

A Heart Check
Consider these revealing questions: What do you do with your free time? What do you spend your money on? What do you talk about with passion and enthusiasm?

These aren't trivial questions. They're diagnostic tools that reveal what truly matters to us. Jesus made this connection explicit when He said, "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be" (Matthew 6:21). Our spending habits, our Instagram feeds, our conversations—they all paint a picture of what we genuinely value.

Even more revealing: What comes out of our mouths? Jesus taught that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). When we're tired, when our filters are down, when we're most vulnerable—that's when the true contents of our hearts spill out.

Here's the uncomfortable reality: Most of us, if we're brutally honest, love ourselves most of all. We love our comfort, our preferences, our plans, our desires. And if legacy truly flows from the heart, then what kind of legacy are we actually creating?

The Center of Everything
Scripture treats the heart as the center of human existence—not just emotions, but the core of who we are. Our thoughts, emotions, will, and passions all flow from this center. That's why God's command in Deuteronomy is so comprehensive: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts" (Deuteronomy 6:5-6).

Notice that God doesn't just ask for acknowledgment or agreement. He doesn't just want external behavior or religious activity. He asks for the heart—which means He's asking for all of us, not just a part.

This is the easiest mistake to make in spiritual life: focusing on external behavior while neglecting the internal reality of the heart. We can attend church, pray before meals, and maintain a respectable moral life—all while our hearts remain far from God. Jesus confronted the religious leaders of His day with these piercing words: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Mark 7:6).

The Partnership of Change
Here's the good news: God specializes in heart transformation. As Ezekiel prophesied, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26).

But this transformation requires partnership. God does the changing, but we must open ourselves to His work. This happens through three primary means:

Modeling - especially in childhood, when more is caught than taught. Children absorb what we truly value, not just what we say we value. They watch where our attention goes, what excites us, what we prioritize when schedules conflict.

Consequences - both good and bad experiences that God uses to shape and refine our hearts over time.

Relationship - consistent, authentic connection with God and His people. We need others who can speak truth into our lives, who can help us see our blind spots.

Our part is to open ourselves to this process. We hide God's Word in our hearts. We come with broken and contrite spirits. We trust Him with everything. We guard our hearts as "the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 4:23).

Practical Legacy Building
If we want to leave a Christ-centered legacy, it requires constant and consistent intentionality. After commanding His people to love Him with all their hearts, God immediately explained the method: "Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up" (Deuteronomy 6:7-9).

In other words: integrate faith into real life. Don't compartmentalize Jesus into Sunday mornings. Bring Him into every conversation, every decision, every moment.
But here's the catch: we cannot pass down what we do not have. We can't manufacture genuine faith. We must first have a regular, intentional relationship with Jesus ourselves.

This means creating regular times for God's Word and prayer in our homes. It means praying not just for good behavior in our children, but for heart transformation. It means letting others see our absolute dependence on God—our confessions, our desperation, our need for Him.

The Real Difference
There's a crucial distinction between raising moral children and raising Christ-centered ones. Morality can be taught by any religion or philosophy. Good behavior can be achieved through discipline and training. But heart transformation—that only comes through Jesus.
The question isn't whether our kids are well-behaved or successful. The question is: Do they see that we cannot do anything apart from Jesus Christ? Do they witness our daily dependence on Him?

The Promise
Four generations from now, your name may be forgotten by your descendants. But the name above all names—the name at which every knee will bow—that name can echo through your family line for generations.

The promise given in Acts remains true: "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:39).

The legacy isn't about us. It's about Jesus working in and through us for His glory alone.
And it starts with surrendering our hearts—today, right now—to the One who first loved us and gave Himself for us.

What will you choose to pass down?