Christian Foundations

I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been 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 1:3-5

Godly parents leave an unforgettable impression on their families. This is often evidenced by the love and respect they receive from their children. Take, for example, the thoughtfulness that William McKinley showed to his mother. As lawyer, congressman, Governor of Ohio, and as President of the United States, he kept in touch with her every day. When he didn’t see her, he wrote or telegraphed.

In mid-October of 1897, he quietly left the White House and took a train to Canton just so he could walk to church with her again. When she became ill, he arranged to have a special train standing by at full steam, ready to take him to her bedside.

Then one night she did call for him. Immediately he wired, “Tell Mother I’ll be there.” Mrs. McKinley died December 12, 1897, in the arms of her 54-year-old son. Her gentle, Christian virtues helped mold the President’s character.

When he was gunned down in Buffalo, New York, about four years later, he showed no bitterness toward his assassin. With Christian courage he said, “God’s will be done.” Before he died, he asked to hear once again the hymn, “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” which his mother had taught him.

Timothy had the godly influence of a Christian mother and grandmother. He was raised in a home with good morals and by family members who loved the Lord. As a result, he grew to be a great man of God.

Your parents may or may not have had the same Christian influence on you. As a Christian, you have been left with a great legacy that should be passed on to your children and grandchildren. The greatest gift you can leave behind to the younger generation is a legacy of faith.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that you would be a godly influence to your family and younger generations.