Proverbs 22:6 “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” – New International Version

You could hear a pin drop as those gathered in the advocates office waited with bated breath for the advocate to read out the late Mzee Kobe’s will. In attendance were his 9 sons and 3 wives. Some of the spouses of the 9 sons were also present, as everyone nervously contemplated which particular assets in Mzee’s vast estate would be allocated to him/her. The contents of the will were a closely guarded secret as the lawyer explained, Mzee did not want the family to fight over his estate and therefore had taken the time to pen his will with lawyer a few months before his demise; as it became apparent that he did not have much longer to live, having battled for a long time with a chronic ailment.

This is a common scenario in many families, where the question of legacy is mostly associated with wealth and material assets that are handed down by parents to their children. Certain families pass on business interests after meticulously training their children on how to properly run the business and the affairs of the family to ensure that the business legacy does not die out with the demise of the founders. This is the case with some of the best known successful businesses founded over one hundred years ago by the likes of John D Rockefeller and William Colgate. The success of their business interests to date are testament to the strong legacy they left behind.

While it’s every family’s dream to build wealth, and business interests as a legacy, the question still remains… What is the most important legacy that a married couple should strive to leave behind? The bible gives us an indication of a legacy with eternal significance – A Godly heritage. God commanded Moses and the Israelite community to carefully instruct their children in the ways of God as a way to ensure that they remain grounded in righteousness, and guarantee them an eternity with God.

Deuteronomy 11:19 “Teach them (God’s Word) to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” – New International Version