Achievement comes when you do great things by yourself, success comes when you empower your employees to do great things for you, significance comes from developing leaders to do great things with you, and legacy comes when you put leaders in a position to do great things without you.— John Maxwell
Our theme of generational impact relies on one key foundation which we’ll be delving into today: continuity. Over the past few days, we have seen the role seed bearers play in stewarding and extending the human legacy from one generation to the next. We have also seen the essence of forgiveness and restitution in the restoration of connections that are essential for continuity. Humanity still exists because God chose to pardon our first parents, reconcile them to Himself and restore their descendants through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. As we receive the forgiveness extended through Christ, the gap sin created between us and God is bridged, and we get to live in harmony with ourselves and our fellow humans too. But there are several factors that can create a disconnect between generations and God is seeking men and women who will be conscious to avert these gaps or bridge them.
Many live oblivious of the fact that we will not be here forever, and that we must empower and pave way for those after us to play their part when we exit the stage. Pondering this issue, one of the world’s most decorated footballers and record breakers, Cristiano Ronaldo, comes to mind. One can only wonder why he is still playing at 37 instead of bowing out like many of his caliber have or will do. Is It to make more records, win titles, generate wealth, or extend his personal legacy? Is he failing to recognize that this stage of his life could be invested in pouring into and preparing another generation of stars? It is crucial we discern what matters in various stages of life.
During one of my internships, I met a man who was obviously over 60 years working as a mechanic in a manufacturing company. I learnt he had worked in one of the best companies in the area but as he was not willing or ready to quit he moved to this firm. He could barely walk and often looked weary, but he maintained that he was not yet 60 years and could therefore not be retired. Rumour had it that anytime he is turning 60, he would swear an affidavit to reduce the age. If those allegations were true, a lot of things could contribute to this. Maybe he had not prepared financially for his sustenance after retirement, or he could not find something interesting to pass time on at home, or he had some fears of pensioner life. And he is not alone. The more his likes have lingered in the workforce, a backlog of energetic and capable young adults are languishing in unemployment because their places are occupied.
Far too many people enter crucial roles like parenting, marriage, or leadership without adequate preparation. Is it surprising then the challenges and failures we see in these arenas? Thriving firms stagnate or collapse when a leader retires or passes on. But when someone who has been properly mentored enters any field, the results and impacts are clear. The father of the famous Williams sisters had several opportunities to launch his girls into professional tennis, but he declined initially. When the opportune time finally came and he felt ready to unleash them, not just for tennis but life under the spotlight, Serena and Venus dominated women’s tennis globally for more than two decades with consistent and unparalleled success. Today, many stars are rising too but it remains to be seen if they have been prepared for similar accomplishments.
God is a generational thinker, and He is often looking for people who can pass the baton to ready successors. That is why the Bible is replete with commands to ‘tell your children, let them tell their children and the next generations’. Any information gap created by a lack of documentation, recitation, or reading puts posterity at a risk of losing their identity, mission and purpose. Thus, to be truly successful in God’s eye, we must develop a generational mindset. This is why the account below had always fascinated me. How did such a thing ever happen in Israel? How was this generational gap created?
7 So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord which He had done for Israel.
8 Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died when he was one hundred and ten years old.
9 And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash.
11 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; 12 and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger.
13 They forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
14 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
When Joshua made this statement, it must have sounded inspiring - and we even preach messages from this text - but when one considers the nation’s fate after his death it appears shortsighted. We can’t leave things to chance and wish they take care of themselves. If we do not want coming generations to face a similar fate, we must be intentional to bridge existing gaps and avoid further gaps. You may be a successful parent or leader today, but can your followers carry on where you are not around? Have you prepared relevant documentations of the vision, success, failures, blueprints, will, or memorials of God’s handiworks for the next generation? Are you deliberately reserving resources and equipping others to further your God-assigned legacy in future?
Look across Africa and ask yourself how many leaders are thinking generationally? Is it possible that a time comes when we will not have clean water to drink? That we will not even know what marriage or wholesome sex looks like? That our educational sector will be so meaningless? That we will not even have land to farm? That there will be no jobs for graduates? That we will not know who a child is anymore because they are allowed decide everything on their own? That society will allow what was once abominable to be normalized? These may seem impossible until you remember that a generation came in Israel that didn’t know anything about God. As various sectors of once-Christianized societies reject the knowledge of God and the events that preceded the floods in Noah’s day unfold right before our eyes, we cannot deny that these accounts in Scripture can prove true in our days too.
In one edition of the Harvard Business Review, Sir Alex Ferguson said, “I always take great pride in seeing younger players develop. The job of a manager, like that of a teacher, is to inspire people to be better. Give them better technical skills, make them winners, make them better people, and they can go anywhere in life. When you give young people a chance, you not only create a longer life span for the team, you also create loyalty. They will always remember that you were the manager who gave them their first opportunity. Once they know you are batting for them, they will accept your way. You’re really fostering a sense of family. If you give young people your attention and an opportunity to succeed, it is amazing how much they will surprise you.”
Sir Ferguson was right, and he implemented this well in his era as manager of Manchester United Football Club. However, as John Maxwell said, “A leader’s lasting value is measured by succession. The accurate measure of your legacy lies in how well you influence the people you leave behind. Your aim should always be to leave an intentional impact on future generations of leaders at your company". Since Ferguson left the helm of affairs at the club, the struggles of the team to reach the heights he took them have been glaring in the media. He is one of the greatest football managers of all time. During his 26 years with Manchester United, he won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles. He was even knighted in the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours list for his services to the game. But the leadership gap left after his retirement has been saddening to himself and fans.
What if we take a proactive approach towards death, knowing its inevitability, and prepare for the generations ahead? Our Lord Jesus left us an example in this. From the outset of his earthly ministry, he deliberately called out twelve from the crowd of followers to be with him so that he might send them forth (see Mark 3:13-16). He faithfully passed on what the Father entrusted to him to them. And He gave them the responsibility and power to steward the Good News and pass it on to the next generation. This they faithfully did and today we are also witnesses and custodians.
In the area of mentorship and discipleship, Apostle Paul left a remarkable legacy. Through his letters to the various churches, he has taught countless generations what He received from his encounter and walk with Jesus. He was careful to take on several young men including Timothy with whom he shared his joys, struggles and burdens for the churches. In several texts, he inspired and encouraged the young minister to read, study, apply Himself to the truth (1 Timothy 4:12-16, 2 Timothy 2). He shared his books and parchments with this mentee (2 Timothy 4:13) and leveraged his social capital and resources for him through recommendations to the various churches (Philippians 2:19-20). Who are the Pauls in your life? Which Timothys are you pouring yourself into?
The greatest achievement any leader can make is to develop others who will keep the organization running for generations. As we saw in the story of Naboth, this does not come without a fight or a cost.
He probably never saw the actual villain he was dealing with, Jezebel. Thus, Kris Vallotton says, “Although we are not in a fight with a person, make no mistake about it, we are in a war with the spirit of that wicked witch Jezebel, a spirit that is trying to divide the generations in order to destroy the multigenerational inheritance that is passed up from generation to generation.” Are you willing to stand in the gap?
I believe God has called every one of us as a seed bearer and He’s anointing us afresh to bridge existing gaps. Maybe you are believing God for a child who has not yet been manifested, but God will honour that word in this season. At a point in Abram’s life, he thought Eleazer would succeed him, but God said he will fulfill His promise to provide a seed to bridge the gap. Maybe, considering your age, you are entertaining similar thoughts and fears, but I declare prophetically that 10 months from today we will hear your testimony. God will give you seeds to bridge the gap for the next generation. So I remind you:
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.
I promise on my honour to be faithful and loyal to Ghana, my Motherland.
I pledge myself to the service of Ghana, with all my strength and with all my heart.
I promise to hold in high esteem our heritage won for us through the blood and toil of our fathers; And I pledge myself in all things to uphold and defend the good name of Ghana. So help me God.