Have you ever participated in a relay race? You run or walk or pass the baton as fast as you can to beat your opponent…but your team still loses. That’s because you’re not the only person whose efforts count. You are merely one link in a chain. And maybe you’ve heard the adage, “ A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”

Competing in a relay race demands more than speed. It requires skill and agility to pass the baton to the next runner. While most of us won’t be competing in professional races, our lives still reflect a type of relay, one that involves “passing the baton”—leaving a legacy for the next generation. But this relay is more than a game.

Throughout their history, the ancient Israelites did not often succeed in passing a legacy of hope to their children. Instead, their legacy was filled with complaints and rebellion. They frequently failed to live up to their calling as a people set apart by God.

However, before we point fingers at the Israelites, we need to examine ourselves. How like them we are! Christians have a responsibility to share the good news of who God is and what He has done for us. We are called to ensure each new generation knows that, through Jesus, they can be restored to the One who loves them enough to send His Son to die for them.

If we don’t teach our children and grandchildren to love Jesus, the world will teach them to reject Him.

Don’t keep the good news of Jesus Christ a secret. Leave a legacy by passing the Gospel on to the next generation. The writer of Psalm 78 put it this way:

“We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done” (Psalm 78:4).

Will you prepare now to share the good news with a child this week? It could be something as simple as telling him how much God loves him.  

Be prepared to pass the baton when God brings you the opportunities! And as you do, share them with us. We’d love to hear about them!