“For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” ~ Acts 20:29
REFERENCE:
Paul significantly invested in leaving a spiritual legacy. He gathered this group on the eve of his travel and told them what to expect from the enemy after his departure. Yet, he reminded them that he had prepared them by his teachings and lifestyle and commended them to the word of God. He warned them that the enemy is diverse in his antics of attacks (savage wolves and perverse men); hence, they must also be perceptive and spiritually clever in responding to him.
A hat-seller passed by a forest and decided to nap under a tree, so he left his basket of hats by the side. He woke up much later and realized that all his hats were gone. He looked up, surprised to see that some monkeys on the tree had taken all his hats. He sat down, thinking of how to get the hats. While thinking, he started to scratch his head. He noticed the monkeys were doing the same. Next, he removed his hat; the monkeys did the same. He had an idea; he threw his hat on the floor, and the monkeys did the same. So, he got all his hats back.
Fifty years later, his grandson, Tim, also became a hat-seller and had heard this monkey story from his grandfather. Just like his grandfather, he passed by the same forest one day. It was very hot, and he took a nap under the same tree and left the hats on the floor. He woke and realized the monkeys had taken all his hats to the tree. He remembered his grandfather.
Tim started scratching his head, and the monkeys followed. He took down his hat and fanned himself, and again, the monkeys followed. Now convinced of his grandfather’s idea, Tim threw his hat on the floor, but to his surprise, the monkeys still held on to all the hats. Then, one monkey climbed down the tree, grabbed the hat on the floor, slapped him, and said, “Do you think you are the only one with a grandfather?” Well, somebody also passed on a legacy to the monkeys.
We need to remember that our enemy is dynamic and changes his tactics. Our children will confront devils that we didn’t, so our strategy may not work for them. We must equip them for the challenges of their times, showing them the diverse strategies of satan and getting them grounded in the word of grace so they can outwit satan and live for God victorious. That is a spiritual legacy.
PHOTO QUOTE
ADDITIONAL TEXTS:
+ Lord, help me to be faithful in my walk with You so that by my example and teaching, I can equip my next generation for the world they will live in.
+ Help me to contend earnestly for the faith and to ensure that I pass it to the next generation.
+ I pray that my zeal for God will not wane; my children and those I am privileged to mentor will burn hotter for God than me.
