Joel M Bradshaw

5I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.–2 Timothy 1

I am a parent. And like most Christian parents, I pray over and for my kids each day. My wife loves to pray that they grow into a man or woman after God’s heart. Those prayers have not only the present in mind, but also the future.

I know parents of adult children who have wandered from the faith. I see the pain in their eyes as they labor in prayer for their prodigals. I also know grandparents who go to war in prayer daily for both their children and grandchildren.

Well, Timothy had faith. And Paul recognized the influence of not only his mother’s influence, but also that of his grandmother. Three thoughts came to mind.

1. Well done, Mom and Grandma. You lived a faith that was not only biblically accurate, but personally attractive to the next generation. Timothy saw in them something he wanted to live. He didn’t give them false commitments to keep them happy and then run off at his first opportunity. God honored the faith and faithfulness of Lois and Eunice. Their example mattered and was recognized by Paul.
2. You might wish you could be like those women with kids and grandkids who are faithfully following Jesus. You cannot control your past. You cannot even control the faith decisions of others. Focus on what you can control. You can own your past. You can seek to honor God with your present. You can invest in your relationships for the glory of God and pray for God to enable faith and growth.
3. God may just be using your life to influence another. It may be one of your children or grandchildren. It may be a classmate, neighbor, or coworker. God expects you to be an influencer with the people he has brought your way. This means you are intentional about the right things and investing in the right things. You may not feel like much. Maybe Lois and Eunice didn’t either. The great lesson of your life may not be what you accomplish, but who you raise, who you influence.

I was blessed with intentional parents and grandparents. My Mom was up this weekend and I am grateful for her! She reads this blog each morning. Hi, Mom! Love you! I am honored to continue the legacy of faith of my parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. But none of them could control that legacy. All each of them could do was to be faithful and trust God. That’s all Lois and Eunice could do as well.–JMB