By Jasmine Green on May 19, 2013

This devotion is the first of a three-part series about living a Kingdom legacy.

As I prepare to become a first-time parent in August, the distinction between leaving alegacy and living a legacy has really challenged me.

Leaving a legacy is, generally, positioned in the future tense. It’s usually placed on the mental shelf until you need to get serious about thinking of retirement, or perhaps when you need to make decisions about your children’s’ future.

Living a legacy is based in the present. That’s because what you value, say and do in everyday moments right now, is already shaping your legacy.

We see three key principles of living a Kingdom legacy – where the supernatural (God’s handiwork) infiltrates the natural (your everyday life) – at work, in the book of Ruth.

1.  A Kingdom legacy life benefits from spiritual kinship

In chapter one, Ruth is released from her ties with Naomi, her mother-in-law, following the death of Ruth’s husband. Naomi encourages her daughter-in-law to return to her old life, her family and land.

Ruth chooses to stick with Naomi and says, “Your people will become my people, and your God will be my God”. (v.16)

It’s here in this moment, that Ruth chooses a Kingdom legacy life and we see the fruit of that start to unfold.

And it is why “church” – the body of Christ – is so important for us, today. We are all made to do life together.

Each of us has had mountains we have overcome and valleys we’ve walked through. Beyond our biological parents, daughters also need spiritual mothers and sisters, and sons need spiritual fathers and brothers in their lives.

Likewise, through lateral kinship with people of the same age, we can share and support others through life, especially when we do it side-by-side.

If you don’t have a spiritual kin (buddy, mentor, etc.) in your life, I encourage you to pray to be positioned alongside someone who can support you as you choose to live out a wonderful Kingdom legacy life.

If you already do, how has your life benefited? Feel free to share in the comments below.

Don’t forget to check back next month for part two in this series: living a Kingdom legacy life attracts favour.