Friday Fight 117: What is our Multigenerational Message?

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help me fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF117.

How often have we sent a text message or email only to send three more, trying to further explain the genuine intent that didn't come across upon delivery? Quite frustrating. I often re-read texts while laughing at my inability to understand the message sent or received. In an age of technology and the confusion of how things are written and interpreted, what can we learn from this on a larger scale, and what kind of message are we sending to those around us?

What is our Multigenerational Message?

As we walk through periods in history defined by a particular segment of years, we see characteristics and values which lend themselves to perspectives, behavior, and overall messages of that era. While these categories are helpful, they cannot truly define what we value most based solely on the generation we were born in. So, if we wanted future generations to know what we valued most without the opportunity to clarify, what would that message of value be?

To answer this honestly, we must look at the message our life dictates to those around us. What we communicate, or our family adage, could be a range of things, way too many to list. Perhaps it's the heavy emphasis on prayer or the importance of an education. It could be the benefit of tithing, saving, or more simply, the importance of eating dinner as a family. We can all look back at the principles our ancestors displayed to us that we are now passing on to our future lineage. Regardless of the application or circumstances, what is the most impactful message we want our prospective families to know about us? In Psalm 78:4 we are encouraged to share with generations to come the goodness of God and our faithfulness to Him. It is essential to understand that our family unit sees exactly what captivates our attention, and future generations will likely value what we see as valuable. Likewise, whatever we brush aside as trivial could also be brushed aside by our children and possibly our grandchildren. How we interact with others and respond to conflict will determine the strength of our relationships. Our actions will scream messages of pain regardless of the wounds we intended to keep silent. Future generations will learn from our interactions.

Let's take a moment to apply this to our spiritual lives and surrender to God; let's be clear about communicating the spiritual significance of following Christ to those we love. This post intends to bring awareness to where our emphasis is being placed, external values or eternal rewards. Hopefully, reading this offers the opportunity to discuss current family values and if changes are necessary. Please don't be concerned about actions of our past we cannot change; focus on the multigenerational message moving forward. What will our children, grandchildren, or their children know with certainty about us? If we are absent four or five generations from now, we hope our message of things most treasured was intentionally clear. Like those confusing texts or emails mentioned, clarity at that point will be difficult.

Be mindful of how darkness operates. Suppose our message screams of a broken past. We may believe we are hiding it, but the bitter wounds we carry are usually seen and heard. When we condemn ourselves to live in the past, our pain makes its way into the present, just in other forms. Brokenness is not where our story ends. When we let God restore us, we can share His restoration with future generations.

Be prayerful about God’s plan to work through us to spiritually impact our descendants. Let's choose the multigenerational message that allows us the opportunity to be a part of God’s eternal purpose, beginning with us and continuing through our family line. In this our children's inheritance will include knowing we valued a life rooted in Christ.

Photo Credit: Mikey Gable

Pastor Shannon

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