We had a visit from our flower girl of almost 58 years ago, recently. She’s in the process of researching her family tree, which includes my husband. I’ve always thought it would be interesting to study my family tree and learn the kind of people I came from. The problem is, there were probably a few scalawags in the bunch, and I don’t necessarily want to know about them. Still it’s a good thing to know that we all come from the same tree. We are imperfect people and there are many scalawags among us.

The Bible is full of begetting and begottens – all the way back to creation. Jesus lineage is peppered with all kinds of people, from kings to shepherds – from rapists to murderers – results of incest, prostitution, and all the dregs of humanity known to man. It’s important for us to know that God took on human flesh when He came to save the world. It was part of the mission, to show that even though He had a human side, He was also without sin. He would be the perfect ransom because He was the unblemished lamb required to pay the debt that we couldn’t pay.

Our flower girl is now 61 years old. She was three when we married. Her own life is filled with art, creativity and a passion for history. In her searching she has found a common thread. The people from her past have carried on a long history of innovation, creativity and a zest for living. Sure, there are a few scalawags too, but I find it interesting how God’s plan for this family has been laden with the love of God.

So, as we look at our past, we can often discover what lies ahead for those who follow us. Are we leaving a legacy that will be honored for years to come? We can all trace our beginnings to God, the Creator of all things, because the Bible tells us so. It’s the perfect history of humankind and source of our beginnings. We are created in God’s image, so we can consider ourselves Jesus’ brother and have the assurance of an inheritance in His kingdom.