A Family Legacy
written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“These are the descendants of Shem. When Shem was one hundred years old, he became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood; and Shem lived after the birth of Arpachshad five hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. ”
I won’t bother you with the following 22 verses, which continue to describe in detail the rest of the descendants of Shem and Terah. One of the themes of the Bible, in both the Old and New Testament books, is the naming of descendants. Descendants were also central in the story of Jesus of Nazareth. One’s descendants help define yourself. Jesus, for example, needed to be of the house and lineage of David to be the long-awaited Messiah.
On my mother’s side, my descendants had a long history of Protestant Christianity. They were also committed to education. These two family legacies helped direct me toward my call to the ordained ministry. Had my family not been committed Christians, I probably would not have been introduced to the faith necessary for my call. Had education not been a family expectation, I may not have pushed through the many years of grueling study. You see, a lot of who I am and how God relates to me are based on my descendants.
Today, think back on your descendants. Name them as far back as you can in your family tree. Then, take some time to remember your family’s stories. Each family has an oral tradition with specific stories that make the family proud, while others create corporate shame. Even the “bad” stories help define your decision-making. If you do not have family stories, think about the people in your childhood, through the present, who influenced you. Those people can be your descendants.
Finally, as Christians, the Biblical characters are our descendants, and their stories are ours. For example, the story of Cain and Abel influences human DNA to this day. Murder and its negative results have remained a taboo throughout human history. Within almost all human beings, there is an instinctual hesitation toward taking a human life. Ask God to bless your understanding of your descendants and the Biblical descendants we share. Rejoice in the knowledge from all your descendants, even the difficult ones. Finally, live your life knowing that your actions will impact future family members to the third and fourth generations.
