Leave A Legacy

At first glance, Proverbs 13:22 seems to talk only about money:

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

But in his role as king, Solomon must have noticed the impact various people make.  Some leave an inheritance that outweighs money:  inventions, works of art, or ways of thinking that positively affect the next few generations.

Solomon’s own father, King David, had left much of his wealth not to his children, but for the building of the Temple.  He had left a collection of Psalms that the Israelites could use in worship.

David’s legacy therefore was not just the throne he passed on to Solomon and a few bank accounts and parcels of real estate to divide among his children.  He gave the future generations a new way of life.

Only a few artists leave a large financial legacy for their offspring.  But your body of work can leave a legacy for future generations, altering the way they live.

What do we make of the “wealth of the sinner” Solomon says is stored up for the righteous? This could mean many things, but let’s focus on infrastructure.

It would be frustrating to be a ruler who knows someone is a crook – yet is providing a vital service for society – so it’s better to let him keep operating than to shut him down.

Solomon must have learned to be pragmatic.  Some of the worst people in society can leave a positive legacy.  And sometimes they shape the country’s infrastructure, making it possible for more deserving people to prosper.

An infrastructure exists because someone else’s money put it there.    Investors and self-made millionaires use “OPM”,  other people’s money, to grow rich.  An infrastructure is available for artists, to help you produce your work and get it out to the people it should reach.

Your art may or may not make you rich, but be pragmatic about  infrastructure.  Use the internet:  to learn new techniques, to study trends, or to display and sell your work.  Connect with artists’ associations – if an organization is strong today, it’s because someone started with nothing and did the hard work of putting it together.  Position yourself with existing artistic industries like publishing houses, theatres, or recording companies.

Some artists eschew the infrastructure because it offends their moral or artistic pride:  “Advertising is a sellout to the commercial interests,” or “The internet has too much filth; I can’t use it.”  But take another look at infrastructure.  Your advertising can be principled; your internet offerings can be uplifting.

This seems to be what Solomon was saying.  You have a legacy, handed down to you by others.  You may or may not approve of how they created it, and this is out of your control; but it’s there for you to use.  You will also leave a legacy.  You must decide how good an influence it will be.  This is the legacy you can control.

Stan Smith  ::  © 2007, GospelSmith  ::  www.GospelSmith.com

Blessing Of The Upright

As a king, Solomon saw the influence of other leaders within his nation.  Proverbs 11:11 tells how he described them:

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted,
But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

He saw that the future of the cities could not be shaped entirely by laws, for even among the law-abiding there were many wicked and self-seeking people whose influence would undermine society.

This may have moved him to serve his nation not only in a political capacity but also in the media of his day: a moral influence towards uprightness could trickle down with a synergy that would make a city great.

For artists, this means two things.  First, invest in your own uprightness, so your work will bless your city.  Then use your work and your influence to bless other upright people in your community – the people who are working to make it as better place to live.   Let’s take a closer look at what this means.

1) What is “blessing”? In Solomon’s day, blessing was a ritual in which someone pronounced and abundant and effective life over someone else.  Usually it was given from greater to lesser:  from father to child, from king to subject.  Though it often looked to the future, it could also serve as a formal way to express thanks and praise.

Our society is more egalitarian than Solomon’s, so we can bless those who are far more accomplished than we are.  And we don’t have to make a ritual of it.  But the key is to make a proactive choice to express and encourage the upright in our community, with either our words or our work.

2) Identify the upright. These are people who do “the right thing” ethically or practically.  These are the people who think not just of advancing their own careers, but also of helping others.

Catch people doing something right – and tell them you appreciate it. This can be very powerful, because most of us criticize what’s wrong.

Or go to younger people, and encourage them to reach for a better future by sowing into a giving lifestyle.  Steer them towards the abundance that can’t be measured in dollars and cents.

3) Look for creative ways to thank and encourage people. You can do it with your words:  by phone or email, with a card, by participating in a talk show, or by writing a letter to the editor.

You can do it with your work:  by creating something that will inspire or something to give away, by lending your talents to a volunteer organization, or by mentoring a fellow worker.

Make a list right now of upright people – those who are doing something very right in the community – and go out of your way to appreciate them.  Do it once and it will benefit both them and you; make a habit of it, and you will have a huge influence in your city.

Stan Smith  ::  © 2007, GospelSmith  ::  www.GospelSmith.com