Leaving a Legacy of Love for Your Children

Bill Butterworth had something of an awakening when his father passed away.

At the funeral, Bill stood behind the lectern as the family representative and told stories about who his father was. Bill didn’t mention his father’s stock portfolio or real estate holdings. He shared about what his father believed, about what he valued, and recounted a few of the meaningful life lessons his father had taught him.

And 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’s 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, ESV).

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.

Today on our program titled “Leaving a Legacy of Love,” we’re airing a recorded message from Bill Butterworth. He’ll share three ways we can create a lasting legacy of God’s love in our children.

Listen on your local radio station, online, or join us at your own convenience via our free, downloadable phone app.