I Write; Therefore I am

“And the Lord answered me: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end, it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:2-3

            God’s word is spoken. But, God’s word is also a written word. Had the biblical writers not been instructed to write down the words of God, we probably would not have them today. God told Moses, Joshua, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and others to write the words of life. We know of the Savior because people wrote the words He spoke during his earthly ministry. Many of the great thoughts of our ancestors were written by Christians. Where would our trust in God be today without the writings of Augustine, Milton, Bunyan, Luther, Edwards, and so many others?

            As I lead my family, I am aware of the reality that things which are not written down are not remembered. As I seek to establish a godly legacy with my children, I am cognizant that I must write things down, or they will be forgotten. I am sure that some of those times I share with my children in conversation will be remembered after they are grown and after I am gone. But, most of those words will be forgotten. So I must write down those things that are most important.

            I notice that if we write things down, they will be not only remembered but put into action. If I make a mental list of household tasks I want to accomplish, I will forget some of them. However, if I write them down, I am visibly reminded of my accomplishments, or my lack of accomplishment. This is also true when I seek to establish a family vision and mission. I have been thinking a lot about our family vision lately. What should our family look like 20, 30, 50 years down the road. What principles and ethics will we hold to as a family? The truth is, I have thought much about these things, but I have not written them down. So, they remain ethereal concepts which will never be enacted.

            I read Albert Mohler’s book The Conviction to Lead. In his book, he makes the point that one’s legacy is furthered by what one writes during his life. If I want to preserve a family legacy, and a family value code, it is necessary for me to write it down. Mohler makes the sobering point that the tombstones in a cemetery tell us very little about the person buried there. He reminds us that historically significant figures are forgotten today. But, he points out, those convictions that those people held can be passed on to future generations.

            I do not know much of my family history. I have a few stories that have been passed down. I have heard my parents tell stories of their parents, which help me know a little more about those people. But, I do not know their greatest hopes, their fears, or what they wanted to pass on to their children. I don’t think my life would be significantly altered if I did know those things about my ancestors, but it might impact how I live my life. My five-year-old son has been asking my wife and me to share stories of when we were children. He loves to hear those stories. He will probably remember some of those stories. But, I want to leave him with more than stories. I want to pass on my convictions and morals, as well.

            So, I want to write the stories of my past. I want to leave my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren with the story of my life and what I held dear. I want them to understand my faith and my commitment to Jesus. I want them to know the values and principles by which I try to live my life. I want them to be able to pass on those principles and values to their children and grandchildren. I don’t want to be remembered for who I am and what I accomplish, but I do want to be remembered for whose I am and what He has accomplished.

            So this year, I will write. I will write the stories of my life. I will write the stories that have been told to me of my parents and grandparents. Who knows, I might even find out if my dad’s uncle was in truth a bank robber, as he claimed to be. But, I will also write my values, my convictions, my principles to share with my children when they are older and able to understand. I will continue to write letters to my children, telling them how much I love them and how much I enjoy watching them grow and mature. And I will write, with my family’s help, our family vision and principles. That is a legacy which I pray will be passed on long after I have left this earth.

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