“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children” (Proverbs 13:22 NIV).
On Sunday, January 10, 2010, our tribe increased again. Our son, Stephen, and his wife, Caroline, had a baby girl. They named her Cadence Story Combs.
“Cadence” is named for their love of music and “Story” is a family name on Caroline’s side. Both names suggest an inheritance. One, that she would be attuned to follow God’s rhythm in her life and the other, that she would be a willing character in God’s story.
Cadence came into this world letting us know that she already follows the beat of a different drummer. Arriving a month early, she didn’t even wait for the conductor’s (doctor’s) cue. While weighing only a tiny 4 lbs. 14 oz. at birth, she already has a great grip on her grandfather’s finger (photo taken above at one day old) and his heart.
I think having a good name is an important part of her inheritance. I do a lot of thinking about such things these days now that I’m twice a grandfather (with her and Nathaniel). I’m praying and living more and more intentionally, with the kind of legacy I want to leave behind in mind.
The Bible approves of such intentional, thoughtful living. It encourages parents and grandparents to pass on the faith stories and blessings of God to their children and their children’s children.
I want to be a “good” grandfather who leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren. The legacy I want to leave includes the desire to bless them financially. This is clearly a biblical desire. Godly men always want to take care of their families. I will follow sound biblical principles to provide for this. While I’m certainly no millionaire, I do pray that God will let me be a financial blessing to my family some day.
But more than a financial inheritance, I plan to leave them a spiritual legacy. This will require a lot of prayer and intentional living too. We have given our children and our grandchildren good, strong names, but I won’t be satisfied until every one of them calls on the name of Jesus.
When my new granddaughter holds my finger in her little hand, squeezing it as she looks into my eyes, I will be saying, “Cadence, I am your Papa and you are loved. Loved by your Daddy and Mommy. Loved by your Ming and Papa. But most of all, you are loved by Jesus. Who’s Jesus you wonder? Well, let me tell you about Him…”