When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ (ESV)

I can remember two specific women who were a part of the church I grew up at that had a significant impact on my life. The first one, the mom of a close friend, led me to Christ at Sunday school one Easter morning when I was six or seven. The other one played a pivotal part in my spiritual development as she taught the Bible to a small group of youth when I was in middle school.  

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Now, as I’m raising two children of my own and also have the privilege of serving in ACF Kids, I can’t help but think of what legacy I would like to leave the children in my life. In today’s Scripture, we see David leaving his last words of wisdom with his son Solomon. I think it’s interesting that David didn’t say, “Son, I’m leaving you with all my wealth and power, now be a good king.” Instead, he reminded Solomon where his attention should lie; not on money or prestige but focused on following the Lord.  

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During Solomon’s reign, he racked up quite a significant number of accomplishments. He built the temple, expanded Israel’s borders, and amassed an unfathomable amount of money - according to some sources he had over 2 trillion dollars if converted to current U.S. currency. Despite all this, after Solomon’s son Rehoboam became King of Israel, the nation split into two kingdoms and remained separate until the Israelites were exiled under the Babylonians. Sadly, most of those kings “did evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chron. 22:4, 33:2, etc.) and very few are credited with following in the footsteps of David.  

David’s legacy for his immediate descendants may not have had the impact that he intended or hoped for, but his legacy to us, descendants through Jesus, still resonates today. His words are in our worship songs, his psalms are quoted frequently, and even people who aren’t Christians are likely to have heard of King David. David taught us to be real with God in our grief (Ps. 31), our distress (Ps. 18), our joy (Ps. 8), and our thankfulness (Ps. 9), to name just a few.  

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I wonder if David hadn’t had the faith he did, would we still talk about him? If legacy is only measured by wealth and power, then Solomon should be the one we focus on. Yet David was “a man after God’s own heart,” and that’s the real reason why he’s still relevant today. Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” David’s treasure was his relationship with the Lord, not any of his worldly accomplishments.  

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The two ladies who mentored me didn’t leave me with any earthly possessions, yet what they gave me was beyond anything money could buy: a relationship with Jesus Christ. What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? What kind of impact do you want to have on we’ve studied David’s life the past couple of weeks, may you be encouraged to draw closer to the only One who really matters, leaving a lasting legacy that nothing can destroy.  

Lord, thank you so much for your Word, the Bible, that we can use to learn about you and grow stronger in our faith. Help us to be people who follow after your heart. Show us how we can make an impact on those around us and spread the light of Jesus to reach the lost. We love you, Lord! Amen.