Our heritage can exert an enormous influence in our lives for good or for ill. Certain genes are passed on to us that either enhance our lives or predispose us to illness and struggle. Certain habits, lifestyles, values, and beliefs of our family can also play a huge role in shaping the way we live. Young Timothy had a father who was probably not a believer. Yet this was more than compensated by the fact that his mother and grandmother were devoted followers of Christ. Such was their influence on young Timothy that the apostle Paul was certain that their faith would also be his.
We must all be continually concerned for two issues in our family tree. First, we must be careful that we embrace the good that our ancestors have bequeathed us while studiously discarding harmful beliefs and practices that we wish to avoid. Ancestry is not destiny! We can break the cycle of ungodliness in our family if we so chose.
Second, we must allow God to begin new family traditions in our life. We may not be married or have children, yet we can initiate a new, godly legacy by the way we live. What a joy it would be for those who follow us to gladly embrace Christ because of our example. Our lives can make an enormous contribution to others. May you so live that later generations trace their godly living to the sanctified example you set before them!