Yesterday, we mentioned two things that will impact a life – gift and skill – putting our focus on the former. Gift, unlike skill, come to us by impartation, particularly if it is a spiritual gift. Skill, however, requires tutorial, training, and practice. That takes time and effort. There is a sense in which one can say that gift is deceptive. We know that the gift of God is without repentance. To that extent, one could be in the wrong and still be effective in the expression of the gift of God. That is why we said that it could be deceptive. The church at Corinth manifested every conceivable gift, but their lifestyle did not reflect Christ.

For Timothy, it was not just about gift; there was character to match. In our text, Paul was full of praise for the life of Timothy, particularly the genuineness of his faith. He traced that faith to two generations earlier, his mother and grandmother having respectively showcased what it means to walk with God. Good character is not a part of spiritual gifts, it is cultivated. Parents are to have the first shot at laying a solid foundation for a goodly character in their offspring. Proverbs 13:22 says that, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children”. It is good if we can set the stage for a better financial and social standing for our children, but it is even better if we leave to them enough spiritual stuff that can keep them in the way of the Lord. This is true heritage. Parents and role models who know the importance of this will live intentionally and exercise a lot of restraints in their conduct. Whether we know it or not, our lives are like transmitters. We are transmitting values, attitudes, and a lot more to the people around us. What we will not be proud to see our children do should be deleted from our lives.