Be Good Ancestors

How the saints before us—and the ones yet to come—reveal God’s unfinished work of love.

Here I am again, thinking back to our Volunteer-in-Mission trip to Augusta, Georgia. I know I mentioned it last week, but that experience keeps working on me in ways I didn’t expect. It really did leave a mark.

The trip has me pondering a question that keeps surfacing in quiet moments:

Do we really make a difference?

A few weeks ago, our team arrived in Augusta to help rebuild a storm-damaged home. The crews before us had already done the heavy lifting—replacing the roof, walls, and floors. Our assignment was the finishing work: ceilings, flooring, and bathroom repairs.

We worked hard for days—aching muscles, tired laughter, a few tears—but by the end of the week, it still wasn’t finished. Another team would come after us to paint, trim, and make the home truly livable.

At first, it felt small. One house in a city full of need—and we didn’t even complete it. But somewhere along the way, I realized we were part of something much larger. The people before us made our work possible. Our work made theirs meaningful. And those who followed would bring it all to life.

Together, we weren’t just rebuilding a house.

We were restoring hope.

Maybe the question isn’t “Did we finish?” but rather,

“How will we leave it for those who come after us?”

That question lingered with me this past weekend as we celebrated All Saints Sunday in the United Methodist Church—a day that always reminds me that faith is never a solo project. The saints before us—those who built, taught, prayed, served, and loved—handed us something precious. And now it’s our turn to tend it, to strengthen what’s been entrusted to us, and to prepare the way for those who will come after.

The Pattern of Life

This rhythm runs through every part of life.

Think about the homes that raised us—not just the buildings, but the people. Parents, teachers, neighbors, mentors, friends. Whoever they were, they laid foundations for us: love, values, perseverance, faith. They taught us how to stand when life got shaky.

And now it’s our turn. We add new rooms, repair cracks, and update what needs renewal. Sometimes we even tear down what isn’t healthy. And when the time comes, we hand the keys to a new generation, praying they’ll build something even stronger.

That’s the rhythm of being human:

We inherit. We tend. We pass on.

We are receivers, builders, and stewards for those who follow.

That’s what the saints do.

They live their part of God’s story with courage and love, trusting that what they build will bless people they may never meet.

The Long Story Still Unfolding

Scripture is full of people standing in that in-between space—between what was and what will be.

Habakkuk cried out to God in a time of injustice and despair:

“How long, O Lord?”

And God replied, “Write the vision… though it linger, wait for it.”

In other words: Don’t give up. I’m still at work.

Paul, writing to the Ephesians, prayed that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” to see the hope already yours.

He was reminding them—and us—that we belong to a much larger story of redemption, even when we can’t see the ending.

Each of these moments—Habakkuk waiting, Paul encouraging—reveals a God who works through generations.

A God who calls us not to finish the story, but to join it.

Your Place in the Story

So what about us?

We may not see the full result of our labor, but we’re invited to join in anyway—to keep hammering hope into place, one nail of kindness at a time.

Every act of faithfulness—every prayer whispered on a morning walk, every visit to a friend who’s struggling, every song sung to lift a weary heart, every casserole dropped off, every apology offered, every moment of quiet forgiveness—is a piece of God’s ongoing renovation project.

The question isn’t “Did we finish?”

The question is, “How will we leave it for those who come after us?”

Be good ancestors.

Honor those before you with gratitude.

Bless those who will follow with courage.

And trust that the God who began a good work among us will bring it to completion—through many generations of saints, including you.

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Reflection Questions

1. Who helped lay the foundation of faith and love in your life?

2. What small acts of care or courage are you adding to the story right now?

3. Where might God be inviting you to “wait for the vision” and trust that your part matters, even if you can’t see the ending?

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A Song to Take with You

People Get Ready – Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions
Hope-filled and spiritual with a gospel undertone; speaks of preparing the way, waiting faithfully, and trusting that the journey continues.