Love Passed Down 代代相传

[Dexu Xia]

Love Passed Down

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and . . . now lives in you. 2 Timothy 1:5

My daughter has become fascinated with Nancy Drew. In the last three weeks, she’s read at least a dozen of the novels featuring the girl sleuth. She comes by her love of detective stories honestly: I loved Nancy Drew too, and the blue-bound copies that my mom read in the 1960s still line a shelf in her house.

Seeing this affection passed down makes me wonder what else I’m passing down. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote that when he thought of Timothy, he was reminded of the “sincere faith” that lived in Timothy’s grandmother and mother. I hope that along with her love of mysteries, my daughter is also inheriting faith—that she will “serve” as her grandparents have, that she will pray, and that she will hold on “to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:1).

I also see hope here for those who don’t have parents or grandparents who know Jesus. Though Timothy’s father isn’t mentioned, Paul calls Timothy his “dear son” (v. 2). Those who don’t have families to pass down faith can still find parents and grandparents in the church—people who will help us figure out how to live a “holy life” (v. 9), and to embrace the gifts God has given us of “power, love and self-discipline” (v. 7). Truly, we all have a beautiful inheritance.

What are some things you’ve learned from fathers or mothers in the faith? How are you working to pass down a legacy of faith to your children or those in your church?

Heavenly Father, thank You for saving me by grace through faith in Jesus. Help me to pass down to the next generation the gifts I’ve received and the truth of the gospel.

代代相传

想到你心里无伪之信，这信是先在你外祖母罗以和你母亲友妮基心里的，我深信也在你的心里。—提摩太后书1章5节

    我的女儿对少女神探南茜 · 茱儿（Nancy Drew）非常着迷。在过去的三周里，她读了至少十几本南茜 · 茱儿系列的小说。坦白说，女儿对侦探小说的热爱是家学渊源，因为我也非常喜欢南茜 · 茱儿，而我母亲的书架上也珍藏着她在1960年代读过的侦探小说蓝色装订本。

    看到这种阅读爱好的传承，让我联想到，除此之外我还传承些什么呢？保罗在写给提摩太的第二封信中写道，当他想起提摩太时，就会想起提摩太的祖母和母亲的“无伪之信”。我希望女儿除了继承我们对侦探小说的热爱，也能传承我们的信仰，就像她的祖父母一样服事主，常常祷告，并且持守“在基督耶稣里生命的应许”（提摩太后书1章1节）。

    对于那些没有认识耶稣的父母或祖父母的人，我也看到了希望。尽管圣经从未提及提摩太的父亲，但保罗却称提摩太为“亲爱的儿子”（2节）。同样地，对于那些在非基督徒家庭中成长的人而言，仍能在教会中找到属灵的父母和祖父母，这些长辈能帮助我们明白如何过圣洁的生活（9节），引导我们领受上帝所赐予“刚强、仁爱、谨守的心”（7节）。的确，我们都拥有美好的信仰传承。

天父，感谢祢让我能因信耶稣而蒙恩得救，求祢帮助我，把自己所领受的恩典及福音真理，传承给下一代。

你从属灵的父亲或母亲那里学到了什么？
你如何努力将信仰传承给你的孩子或教会中的后辈？