Leaving a Legacy of Love

Bill Butterworth had something of an awakening when his father died.

At the funeral, Bill stood behind the lectern and spoke as the family representative. As important as what he shared about his father is what he didn’t share about his father.

Bill didn’t mention his father’s career or his real estate holdings. He didn’t talk about his father’s bank account or his stock portfolio. Instead, he shared about what his father believed and valued, and recounted some of the meaningful life lessons his father had taught him.

All the while Bill was thinking, “Someday the funeral will be mine, and one of my kids will be standing behind a lectern. What are they going to say about me?”

That should be a sobering thought for every parent. Is what’s important to God important to us? Am I passing on eternal values to my children?

When Bill began seeking answers to those questions, he was drawn to the well-known “love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13. Paul ends the chapter with this beautiful summary: “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (v.13).

Leaving a profound legacy can take many forms, but at the heart of them all is love. Be the hands and feet of Christ in the lives of your children and in the lives of the people around you.

On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Leaving a Legacy of Love,” we’re airing a recorded message from Bill Butterworth in which he shares three ways to create a lasting legacy of God’s love in your children.

Join us for this lighthearted message about how to show love to those around you on your local radio station, online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or take us with you on our free phone app.

I’d like to extend an invitation for you to become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. When you do, I’ll send you a CD copy of this program as a way of saying thank you for touching others with the love of Christ. You’ll also receive member-exclusive benefits. To make your pledge, or for more information, visit our website or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).