“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can… as long as ever you can.” – John Wesley
It is a moment of reverence matched by few others: a lone bugler playing ‘Taps’.
The son-in-law and two grandsons, dressed in their military uniforms, stood at attention and saluted as the honor guard paid tribute to their loved one – a West Point graduate career veteran who served two tours of duty in Vietnam and was a recipient of the Purple Heart.
I found myself incredibly grateful for this multi-generational family who has offered themselves in service to their country. It was unmistakably clear that this commitment to service is not merely a family tradition but something woven into their very DNA.
Instinctively, there are many things we hope to pass on to the generations that follow us. We desire to hand down the values that shaped those who came before us so that they might likewise shape those who come after us. For many families, near the top of that list is instilling the importance of serving others.
My own upbringing was deeply influenced by my parents’ engagement in the community. Both my mother and father were involved in church outreach, and a myriad of organizations and activities, whose sole purpose were the betterment and enrichment of our community. Their parents and grandparents had done likewise.
The example set by my ancestors had a profound impact on me, and I now consider it a great blessing to see that same spirit reflected in my own children.
The greatest inheritance parents and grandparents can leave is not wealth or property but a pattern of life. Children may not remember every lesson they were taught, but they almost always remember what they observed. They learn generosity by seeing generosity, compassion by witnessing compassion, and service by joining those who serve. A family tradition of serving others may become one of the most enduring legacies passed from one generation to the next.
“Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” – 1 Peter 4:10
BP