فصل 5

CHAPTER 5

The Generational Blessing

Most of us don’t give much thought to the plethora of decisions we make as we go through each day. Yet the decisions we make today will affect our children, our grandchildren, and the generations to come.

Too often, we think only about the here and now. “Well, Joel, it’s my life. I know I have some bad habits. I know I don’t treat everybody right. But that’s okay; I can handle it.” The problem with that kind of thinking is it’s not just hurting you; it’s making life more difficult on those who come after you. The things that we don’t overcome, the issues we leave on the table, so to speak, will be passed down for the next generation to deal with.

The good news is: Every right decision we make, every time we resist temptation, every time we honor God, when we do the right thing, not only are we going to come up higher ourselves, but we’re making it a little easier on the generations that will come after us.

Think of it like this: Each of us has a spiritual bank account. By the way we live, we’re either storing up equity or storing up iniquity. Equity would be anything good: our integrity, our determination, our godliness. That’s storing up blessings. On the other hand, iniquity includes our bad habits, addictions, selfishness, lack of discipline. All of these things, either good or bad, will be passed down to future generations.

I like to look at my life as a few laps in the marathon that our family line is running. When my life is done, I’m going to hand the baton to my children. Contained in that baton will be my physical DNA, my traits, hair color, size, and weight. It will also hold my spiritual and emotional DNA. It will include my tendencies, attitudes, habits, and mind-sets. My children will take the baton, run a few laps, and hand it to their children, and on and on. Every lap that we run with purpose, passion, and integrity is one more lap that can be used for good by those that come after us. In a sense, the laps we run well put future generations further down the road toward significance and success.

Even if you don’t have children, you’re going to live on through the people you influence. Your habits, attitudes, and what you stand for will all be passed down to somebody.

I know that much of the favor and blessing on my life did not come to me by my own effort; I didn’t accumulate all that I am currently enjoying on my own. It was because my father and mother passed it down to me. They left me not just a physical inheritance; they imparted a spiritual inheritance to me as well.

My father put me forty years down the road when he passed the baton, handing over the ministry of Lakewood Church. My dream is to place my children far, far down the road. And I’m not talking financially; I’m talking about their attitudes, helping them along in their work habits, in their character, and in their walk with God.

My grandmother on my father’s side worked extremely hard most of her life. My grandparents were cotton farmers and they lost everything they had in the Great Depression. They didn’t have much money, had little food, and no future to speak of. My grandmother worked twelve hours a day earning ten cents an hour washing people’s clothes: a dollar-twenty a day.

But Grandmother never complained about her plight. She didn’t go around with a “poor-me” mentality; she just kept doing her best, giving it her all. She was determined and persistent. She may not have realized it, but she was sowing seeds for her children. She passed down hard work, determination, and persistence, which my father built upon. Because Grandmother laid the foundation, Daddy was able to break out of poverty and depression and raise our family to a completely new level.

Any time you see somebody who’s successful or has accomplished something great, you can be sure they didn’t do it all by themselves. Somebody else helped pay the price along the way. Somebody passed down those qualities that they needed.

When you live your life with excellence, going the extra mile, nobody else may notice. It may seem as though you are not reaping any of the benefits, but know this: In the bloodline being formed in your DNA are that fortitude, strength, and excellent spirit. They will be passed down to future generations. You are making a difference.

Let me ask you: Are you willing to pay the price so your children and their children as well as future generations can rise higher and accomplish more? If you’re like me, nothing would make you happier than to see your children go further and achieve more than you thought possible for yourself. Or to see your grandchildren go further than you ever dreamed.

I heard somebody say, “Nothing truly great can ever be accomplished in just one lifetime.” At the time, I didn’t understand that saying, because obviously, every generation can do something great. But I’ve learned since that sometimes God’s plans span more than one generation.

Many times, I heard my father say, “One day we’re going to build an auditorium to hold twenty thousand people. One day, we’re going to have a big place where we can all come together and worship.” My father had the vision, but God used his children to complete it. Nevertheless, had he not stayed faithful—had he not stayed determined and kept that excellent spirit—I don’t believe the fulfillment would have come to pass. Daddy sowed the seeds; he paved the way, and my family members—as well as millions of other people—have enjoyed the blessings as a result.

If not everything is happening in your timing the way you want, keep doing your best. God is still in control. In addition, as you continue sowing seeds and living with excellence, know this: You are making a difference. In God’s perfect timing, the fruit of your labor will be seen.

Maybe you weren’t raised by parents who set you up for success by planting positive characteristics in your family line. Possibly you’ve inherited attitudes of defeat, mediocrity, addictions, and negativity. But thank God, you can start a new family line. You can be the one to set a new standard.

Somebody has to be willing to pay the price. Somebody has to step up and clear the leftovers off the table. Nobody else may have done so, but if you’ll make positive changes, one day, people in your family line will look back and say, “It was because of this man. It was because of that woman. They were the turning point. We were defeated up till then. We were addicted up to that point. However, look what happened when they came along. Everything changed. We came up higher.”

First Samuel, chapter 25, relates how David and his men protected the family and the workers of a man by the name of Nabel from their enemies. One day, David sent his men to ask Nabel for some food and supplies. David thought that Nabel would be grateful and that he would freely give David’s troops the supplies for which they asked. But when David’s men arrived, Nabel treated them rudely and disrespectfully. He said, “I don’t even know who you are. I never asked you to do any of this, so just be on your way. Don’t bother me.” When those men got back and told David how insolently they had been treated, David was furious. He said, “All right, men. Get your swords. We’re going to go take care of Nabel. We’re going to wipe him out.” But on the way there, Nabel’s wife, Abigail, stopped David. She had heard about her husband’s insulting behavior, so she brought a bountiful supply of gifts and food, hoping to reduce David’s anger. She said, “David, my husband is a rude and ungrateful man. He shouldn’t have treated you like that.” In verse 28, she said, “But David, if you will forgive this wrong, I know that God will give you an enduring house.” I like that phrase “an enduring house.” Abigail was saying, “David, I know you have a right to be angry. I know my husband paid you back evil for your good, but if you can overlook it, take the high road, and let it go, I know God will bless you for generations to come. I know He will give you an enduring house.” David swallowed his pride, walked away, and overlooked the offense. He let it go, and God did indeed bless him and his future children as a result.

Throughout life, we’re all going to have situations where we can find some excuse to be angry, some rationale to be bitter. Indeed, you may have good reason for feeling the way you do and for responding to life negatively. Still, I’m asking you to take the high road; don’t give in to it. That stuff can get into your blood; it can be passed down. Your children and grandchildren already have enough to overcome without you adding to it.

It may be difficult, but you have the power to overcome the wrong choices made by your family members in previous generations. Beyond that, you can make life better for the generations that follow you. Every offense that you forgive, every bad habit you break, every victory you win is one less lap for those who come after you. Even if you don’t do it for yourself, do it for your children, do it for your grandchildren. Do it so you can have an enduring house.