Do you think about the spiritual legacy you’re leaving behind for your family? We tend to think about our legacy in financial terms, but our family and friends will remember us best by our spiritual legacy. I’ve thought about this lately while watching Dad at his nursing home.

     Dad recently called to tell me that Pete, a nursing home resident,  prayed to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior after Dad shared his faith with him. Dad has a heart for lost souls and has modeled obedience to the Great Commission for many years. During the 1970s, he traveled to Russia and smuggled bibles to Christians who worshipped secretly in their homes. He also created a ministry called, “Unto the Least of These,” that supported missionaries in countries hostile to Christians. Living in a nursing home doesn’t stop Dad from continuing to spread the good news.

     Dad asked me to pray for Pete, inviting me to partner with him in his ministry. But then he said something that caught me off guard. In his zeal, he gave his bible to Pete. Dad’s bible has all of his study notes, collected in the margins over many years. It is the only thing he possesses that I would cherish upon his death. While he was excited, my heart sank.

     I treasure the family bibles that have been passed down. I have the Holman’s Sunday School Teacher’s Bible, published in 1894, that belonged to Gran Jones. When she died, Dad inherited the legacy found in her notes made throughout her bible, and I now have it. Here is what I see when I open it to the first page:

Gran Jones’ Inscription at the top: 2 Tim 2:15 – “Study to show thyself approved.”

     Another family member, Uncle Bill in Brady, TX, passed away in 1996. I remember staying with Aunt Kathryn over the Christmas holidays and discovering his bible by my bedside. It drew me like a magnet. As soon as I opened it, I saw Uncle Bill’s notations reflecting how the Spirit spoke to him. I thought, “What a treasure to leave behind for his family! I hope my bible will reveal my walk with Christ as powerfully as it did for Uncle Bill.”

     I wanted Dad’s bible, and I developed a game plan to get it back. His 77^th birthday was last Tuesday, April 30^th. Not only would we celebrate his birthday, but I had a mission to return Dad’s bible to the family! He had already asked me to buy him a large print bible since he had given his bible to Pete. So I decided to purchase a second large print bible to have on hand to swap with Pete. I had no idea what to expect, but I was prepared to discuss it.

     I arrived at the nursing home with my two large print bibles. I walked into Dad’s room, ready to broach the subject. I expressed my desire to have his bible some day and asked if he would object to letting me work this out with Pete. I explained that his bible was an important representation of the spiritual legacy he was leaving behind. I affirmed him for the strong influence he had in introducing me to Christ and to grow as a Christian. Dad was overwhelmed by my words. He had no idea how important his bible was to me. He immediately blessed my plan to go for an exchange of bibles with Pete!

     It was getting late, and I hightailed it to Pete’s room so I could catch him before he went to bed. Pete knows me because I frequently share meals with Dad, and Pete sits at Dad’s table. I explained to Pete that we wished to keep my Dad’s bible in the family, but as a new believer, we wanted him to have a large print bible of his own. Pete immediately agreed to the swap. He showed compassion by hurrying in his wheelchair to his chest of drawers to retrieve it for me. 

     I was elated. I got back to Dad’s room and showed him his rescued bible. I asked him if he wanted to keep his bible with him, even though the print was too small for him. He said no, but then did something that touched my heart. Even though it was his birthday to celebrate, I received the best gift he could give me. He said, “I bequeath my bible to you today. Since this means so much to you, I want you to have it now.”

Dad’s Bible

     In an age where books are becoming more digital, I’m afraid we’re going to miss the opportunity to leave a tangible version of our spiritual legacy to our family members. It’s hard to write notes into a Kindle! I have a study bible that is filled with underlining, highlighting, and notes in the margin. I hope my bible reflects the spiritual legacy I will leave behind some day. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy Dad’s bible. His spiritual legacy will reverberate every time I open it.    

     Do you own a study bible where you underline, highlight, and make notes? Do you think it’s an important part of the overall spiritual legacy you leave behind?  

Blessings,                                                                                                                                                                                  Lee Ann