A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22, TLV
What’s Your Legacy? Inheritances can come in many forms. There are the physical types — wealth, businesses, jewelry, mementos. Then there are the spiritual ones — wisdom, insights, knowledge. Sometimes, it can be both.
This proverb reminds me of my husband’s inheritance from his great-grandfather — an antique level. His grandfather left many legacies, but Bob chose that legacy after his father’s death. It stood in a pile of discards when we visited his stepmother after the funeral.
We rescued the ancient tool and took it home. It probably has no real monetary value — even though it still works — but it represents the legacy of a strong work ethic. From great-grandfather, to grandfather, to father, to son.
See the Bubble?
The tool itself represents the importance of balance. That bubble needs to be centered or things will not be level. They will be off balance which puts everything it’s touching off balance. Just “eyeballing” the situation isn’t enough. It can look fine, but down the road it won’t look fine—it will be cockeyed and ultimately unstable.
We need that level.
How like the Bible that is. We can look at a situation — eyeball it — but until we place the truth of the Bible over it, we’ll never know if it’s “on-the-level.”
The old tool rests in our home as a rustic reminder that certain morals and ethics can never lose their value. And, that the legacy of our ancestors can still teach us, even after they’ve gone.
