As a young person growing up in the church, I often paused when reading about “begetting” in scripture, especially in the Old Testament. While the word “beget” is used to signify procreation or bearing children, it also carries another meaning: “to give rise to” or “to bring about.”

The steps of my life’s journey tell a story of both certainties and uncertainties, bringing about moments of clarity as well as wonder. I’ve seen things I wish I could unsee, and I’ve witnessed wonders I longed to see again. I’ve faced challenges and tragedies I would never want to revisit, yet I’ve also been transformed by experiences I’ll forever treasure.

Through it all, the past and the present, I’ve come to recognize the undeniable power of both good and evil. Each gives rise to itself: good begets good, and evil begets evil. No matter how great either may seem, the Bible reminds us in Ecclesiastes that there is nothing new under the sun. Nothing. The good we celebrate has been experienced before. The evil we abhor has wreaked havoc before. And even the so-called “gray areas” we sometimes cling to have only produced more confusion and danger.

These truths call us to be wiser in even the smallest of choices. Details matter. Every action carries consequences. And every action leaves behind the imprint of a legacy—one that will beget either more good, more evil, or, God forbid, more confusion.

If we are to cut off evil at the path, let’s start with one practice, individually: a daily self-check. Ask yourself—How am I choosing to express my intentions when interacting with others? How has pride misled me today? How did my actions today leave a legacy that brings about good?

Life does not have to overwhelm us. But it does need to transform us—into something better.

Be well, y’all, and much love!

All things are wearisome,
    more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
    nor the ear its fill of hearing.
⁹ What has been will be again,
    what has been done will be done again;
    there is nothing new under the sun.

-Ecclesiastes 1:8-9

(Pictured: Me (Dr. Tammi Love), with my husband, Dr. Jawwad J. Love, in Nairobi, Kenya in February 2025. We both led individual workshops to Kenyan women and men, focusing on empowerment and social enterprise. The workshops emphasize the legacy of good we are actively doing across the globe via our nonprofit, Mbele Leadership Foundation.)