It's Not All About Us!

We need to think generationally.

I like to listen to Joseph Prince. He is a pastor who leads a church in Singapore and is passionate in his effort to tell people about the love and mercy of God...he calls it the message of radical grace. I recently heard him say that when Abraham tithed...Levi (born 4 generations later) tithed within him (Hebrews 7:9-10). Deutoronomy 7:9 talks about God blessing 1000 generations after those who love and walk with Him. What we do has an effect not only on us today (for good or bad), but for the generations after us. It made me think about a story I heard about Jonathan Edwards.

Jonathan Edwards was a theologian/missionary living in the 1700's. He had eleven children and reportedly tried to spend an hour each evening with them, teaching them about God and his word. Here's how his actions affected his generations:

Of his 1,394 descendants ( this was reported in the year 1900), 1,295 were college graduates, 13 were presidents of colleges, 65 were professors in colleges, 60 were doctors, 100 (or more) were clergy, missionaries or professors at theological seminaries, 75 were officers in the army and navy, 60 were prominent authors and writers by whom 135 books were written, and many important peridocals were edited, 100 or more were lawyers and professors of law, 30 were judges, 80 held public office (one vice-president of the US), 3 were US senators, several were govenors, members of Congress, and mayors of cities, many were managers of railroads, banks and insurance companies. (Popenoe and Johsnson, NY, 1920, pp.161-162)

How are my choices affecting my generations?