We Influence History

I know the name of my grandmother (I miss her) but not the name of her mother, or her mother, or hers. Their places are remembered no more. My grandchildren will remember my name, but probably not my great grandchildren or my great-greats. My place in the family lineage will be forgotten.

My place will be remembered no more.

…May we enjoy this world without clinging to or collecting anything else but people and their souls.

THOUGHTS ADDED THIS WEEK

Last week’s post depressed me! Though the content was true, the post felt incomplete. After all, God says we are significant and God uses us mightily on earth. I kept mulling over last week’s verses and realized that our great-grandchildren and the school history books may remember us no more, but our influence on people lasts long after we are gone.

Our influence lingers and matters.

For example, my son went to church last Sunday and worked in the children’s ministry. He poured into other boys like a leader did for him all of his growing up years.

Who took my son into a church?

I did. I took my son to church. We took all the kids to church.

Who took me to church?

My mother did.

Who took her?

My grandmother did.

Relational Transfer

This is how God set things up to work — one generation influences the next through relationship. Paul tells Timothy, I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. (2 Timothy 2:5)

Our transfer of beliefs, perspectives and example remain in our children long after we are gone. When our children become parents and take their kids to church and read bible stories to them and pray at dinners and bedtimes, our fingerprints on their lives will be visible, even if anonymous. When our children trust God in hard times, our influence becomes visible even if it remains dissociated from our lives.

A man nicknamed Callie

When I was helping my mother sort through family memorabilia a few years ago, she gave me a bible that has been passed down through the generations, so I called her this week to see if she knew names. Turns out, she has been doing to ancestry work in the last few years and we looked at family trees together.

My great-grandfather received a bible in 1878 from his mother, my great-great- grandmother. The young boy was Calvin, nicknamed Callie. His mother’s name was Hannah.

Presented to Callie Patterson by his mother – 1878.

The bible is well-worn and has some scribbles in it. It is entirely plausible — even probable — that Calvin Patterson knew the pages of Scripture well and prayed for the generations after him, like I do. I pray that the Holy Spirit of God sweeps through my family line. Interestingly enough, my husband and I named one of our daughters Callie before we saw this bible.

You and I Influence History

Even if I didn’t have the bible as physical evidence of a Christian heritage, the bible and Callie Patterson still would have existed and influenced earth’s history by influencing me. A mother passed a bible to her son and it is an honor to have it. When I hold the bible, I am holding the influence of a life well lived that benefited me spiritually.

Our lives matter.

Returning to last week’s point, even though our names will be forgotten on earth by most people, our influence will be visible in the lives of those we have known. Further, though forgotten on earth, our names are written in the Lambs Book of Life for eternity.

I have some well-worn bibles like my great-grandfather, Calvin, possessed. Someday a distant grandchild of mine may hold one of my bibles in their hands too. And when they do, it will represent a woman named Laurie who prayed for her lineage, and it will provide evidence that the influence of prayer lives long we arrive in heaven.

If not our names, our influence will remain.

Picture Explanation: Physical evidence that influence lives on.

Speaking of living a short life with eternity in mind: The inaugural co-ed online One Gritty Blink Bible study this fall has begun! If you want to join the next one, click on the Oaks Ministries link in the copyright line and send me an email so I can place you on a list to be contacted to participate in a future study! Let’s not just focus on things in this short life, but also what counts for eternity.

Note: No part of my posts are derived from A.I. Thoughts and writing stem from my mind and heart as I process life week-by-week and continue to grow in my understanding of God and how to apply His wisdom to the world around me.

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