Several times in the Bible Book of Proverbs we are told to “not remove the ancient boundaries.” This is a reminder to us to remember our roots and the truths that give us success today. I’m reading through the Book of Chronicles in my daily Bible Reading. The first nine chapters are genealogies. Almost 1/3 of the book! This shows us the importance God places on knowing our roots and our history. It gives us perspective and sometimes keeps us from making the same mistakes over and over again. King Solomon encouraged his son again and again “Listen to the commandments of your father and don’t deviate from them.”
While all this is true, there is another side. We must hold on to our roots yet still be creative, innovative and not only in touch with our society and season in history but leading g it! We walk the fine balance of building upon and keeping the core values of our roots that gave us success up to this point, but also being relevant. We need them both.
John Maxwell observes this about the importance of remembering and honoring our past:
1. We remain connected to our heritage.
2. We see our place in history and gain perspective from it.
3. We are able to honor and pay respect to our forefathers who helped get us to where we are today.
4. We are a link in a heritage of blessing which we can pass on to others.
5. Our heritage creates stability for our family in this and future generations.
6. We see the gifts and calling that are upon us as a clan or family.
7. We can retain our identity even if we are moved to far away places or find ourselves in valleys of decision. Our Heritage becomes our compass.
Mentoring Growing Leaders 