A Grandmaster's Legacy

A Grandmaster’s Legacy

With a triumphant grin and trophy in hand, my son arrived home as the champion of his high school chess tournament.  Flying under the radar as a freshman, Jon surprised the field of favored upperclassmen, sailing through their ranks without a single loss.  While other students may have sneered at the notion of a Chess Club, the $100 prize had them all wishing they spent more time swiping pawns than swiping through Instagram.

Years have gone by since then. Although I test my intellect on the grid with “the champ” at times, it was really my dad who trained Jon up in the game.  Whenever the family got together, it was a virtual guarantee that the checkered board would emerge at some point.

My dad began teaching Jon and his brother, Dave, at a very young age, but he didn’t limit his legacy to just playing games with his kids and grandchildren. Both my dad and mom spent countless hours teaching us/them about Jesus, reading Bible stories, and training us up to be faithful Christians.  Just like that chess board, the Bible would surely emerge at every family gathering. We would read and pray, and spend many happy hours around the dinner table playing Bible games that my dad had created. (It’s interesting to note that there’s a Children's Bible on the table next to the chess board in the picture above. I hadn’t even noticed it when I chose that image for this blog.) 

The apostle Paul recognized the power in transmitting faith from one generation to the next.  He pointed out the legacy of godly grandparents when he wrote to Timothy, “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice.  And I know that same faith continues strong in you” (2 Timothy 1:5).  

It’s hard to believe that both my parents have finished their service on earth, and now my wife and I are approaching the grandparent stage of life. We need to remember that nearly everything we say or do will leave a lasting impact on our family.  Sure, they’ll remember some of the idyllic mental snapshots we all hope for.  But they’ll also take special note of the way we handle hardship, pursue godliness, exhibit generosity, and how we pour into them and others, despite our age, health, or financial status.  

These are the memories they’ll carry for life.  These are the things they’ll talk about when we’re gone.  I pray that our kids and grandkids see Christ in us, and that we’ll be a lifelong encouragement to our whole family.

– Ron Reid