Title: What Will Your Legacy Be?
Scripture: Proverbs 13
13
A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.
2
From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,
but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.
3
Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.
4
A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
5
The righteous hate what is false,
but the wicked make themselves a stench
and bring shame on themselves.
6
Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.
7
One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
8
A person’s riches may ransom their life,
but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.
9
The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.
10
Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
11
Dishonest money dwindles away,
but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
13
Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,
but whoever respects a command is rewarded.
14
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning a person from the snares of death.
15
Good judgment wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.[a]
16
All who are prudent act with[b] knowledge,
but fools expose their folly.
17
A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.
18
Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,
but whoever heeds correction is honored.
19
A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but fools detest turning from evil.
20
Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.
21
Trouble pursues the sinner,
but the righteous are rewarded with good things.
22
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
23
An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
but injustice sweeps it away.
24
Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.
25
The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.
Message
Leadership expert Dr/ John Maxwell writes, “On December 18, 1998, I had a serious heart attack.
That night as I lay on the floor waiting for an ambulance, I remember thinking two things:
- I was too young to die.
- I had not completed some of the things I wanted to accomplish.
One of the most beneficial outcomes of my heart attack experience was that it motivated me to ask myself, “What will my legacy be?”
A legacy is something we leave behind to the next generation.
It can be possession that we place in the hands of others.
It can be principles we lived that carry on beyond our lives.
It also can be people we have influenced whose lives are better as a result of knowing us.
“Always try to keep these two things in mind:
- Today is all you’ve got. Remember the words on a tombstone that read: “I expected this, but not yet!”
We all hope for a long life, but none of us knows if we’ll see tomorrow.
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring”
(Proverbs 27:1 NIV)
.
- You will leave a legacy. “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteousness.”
Note, a good man, or woman, can leave a legacy that blesses the next two generations.
So focus on being good and doing good, and ask yourself regularly, “How do I want to be remembered by my loved ones?
When my time here runs out, will I continue to influence others for good and for God?
13
A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.
2
From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,
but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.
3
Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.
Reflection: (Proverbs 13:3)
You have not mastered self-control if you do not control what you say.
Words can cut and destroy.
James recognized this truth when he stated, “The tongue is a flame of fire, it is a whole world of wickedness.” (James 3:6)
If you want to be self-controlled, begin with your tongue.
Stop and think before you react or speak.
If you can control this small but powerful member, you can control the rest of your body.
4
A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
5
The righteous hate what is false,
but the wicked make themselves a stench
and bring shame on themselves.
6
Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.
Reflection: (Proverbs 13:6)
Blameless living safeguards your life.
Every choice for good sets into motion other opportunities for good.
Evil choices follow the same pattern, but in the opposite direction.
Each decision you make to obey God’s Word will bring a greater sense of order to your life, while each decision to disobey will bring confusion and destruction.
The right choices you make reflect your integrity.
Obedience brings the greatest safeguard and security.
7
One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
8
A person’s riches may ransom their life,
but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.
9
The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.
10
Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
Reflection: (Proverbs 13:10)
“I was wrong” or “I need advice” are difficult phrases to utter because they require humility.
Pride is an ingredient in every quarrel.
It stirs up conflict and divides people.
Humility, by contrast, heals.
Guard against pride.
If you find yourself constantly arguing, examine your life for pride.
Be open to the advice of others, ask for help when you need it, and be willing to admit your mistakes.
11
Dishonest money dwindles away,
but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
13
Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,
but whoever respects a command is rewarded.
Reflection: (Proverbs 13:13)
God created us, knows us, and loves us.
It only makes sense, then, to listen to His instructions and do what he says.
The Bible is His unfailing Word to us.
If you obey God’s instructions, you will find His kind of power to live.
If you ignore them, you will have problems, difficulties, and failures.
14
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning a person from the snares of death.
15
Good judgment wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.[a]
16
All who are prudent act with[b] knowledge,
but fools expose their folly.
17
A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.
Reflection: (Proverbs 13:17)
In Solomon’s day, a king had to rely on messengers for information about his country.
These messengers had to be trustworthy.
Inaccurate information could lead to bloodshed.
Reliable communication is still vital.
If the message received is different from the message sent, marriages, businesses and diplomatic relations can all break down.
It is important to choose your words well and to avoid reacting until you clearly understand what the other person means.
18
Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,
but whoever heeds correction is honored.
19
A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but fools detest turning from evil.
Reflection: (Proverbs 13:19)
Whether a “dream come true” is good or bad depends on the nature of the dream or desire.
It is pleasant to achieve worthwhile goals, but not all goals are worth pursuing.
When you set your heart on something, you may lose your ability to assess it objectively.
With your desire blinding your judgement, you may proceed with an unwise relationship, a wasteful purchase, or a poorly conceived plan.
Faithfulness is a virtue, but stubbornness is not.
20
Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.
Reflection: (Proverbs 13:20)
When most people need advice, they go to their friends first because friends accept them and usually agree with them.
But that is why they may not be able to help them with difficult problems.
Our friends are so much like us that they may not have any answers we haven’t already heard.
Instead, we should seek out older and wiser people to advise us.
Wise people have experienced a lot in life – and have succeeded.
They are not afraid to tell the truth.
Who are the wise, godly people who can warn you of the pitfalls ahead?
Have you reached out to your pastor, priest, or Pastoral Counselor yet?
21
Trouble pursues the sinner,
but the righteous are rewarded with good things.
22
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
23
An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
but injustice sweeps it away.
Reflection: (Proverbs 13:23)
The poor are often victims of an unjust society.
A poor man’s soil may be good, but unjust laws may rob him of his own produce.
This proverb does not take poverty lightly or wink at injustice; it simply describes what often occurs.
We should do what we can to fight injustice of every sort.
Our efforts may seem inadequate, but it is comforting to know that in the end God’s justice will prevail.
24
Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.
Reflection: (Proverbs 13:24)
It is not easy for a loving parent to discipline a child, but it is necessary.
The greatest responsibility that God gives parents is the nurture and guidance of their children.
Lack of discipline puts parents’ love in question because it shows a lack of concern for the character development of their children.
Disciplining children averts long-range disaster.
Without correction, children grow up to no clear understanding of right and wrong and with little direction to their lives.
Don’t be afraid to discipline your children.
It is an act of love.
Remember, though, that your efforts cannot make your children wise; they can only encourage your children to seek God’s wisdom and love above all else!
25
The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.