The Right Kind of Family Inheritance - Proverbs 13:22

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.   Proverbs 13:22

What kind of inheritance are you leaving to your children?  What kind of inheritance are you leaving to your grandchildren?  That is what today's proverb wants us to consider.  There is a blessing that we should pass to our families.  From what we read in Scripture there is one that we can pass to several generations if we choose to live as God would have us to live.  Let us take a look at this today.

The good man leaves an inheritance to both his children and his grandchildren.  He approaches his earnings in life in such a way as to use them frugally and save for the future.  This is how he provides an inheritance for his family.  Note that he is called a "good" man - which refers to his character.  In order to be such a man one needs to be selfless and desire to bless his children - rather than to spend it all on himself. 

One thing we need to remember is that God does not promise riches in wealth to all men in equal amounts.  Therefore to say that this refers only to money is foolish.  Solomon laments of the man who had worked himself to death to obtain money, only to leave it to a son who is a fool.  This man may have left wealth to his son, but he forgot to leave him spiritual wealth and wisdom.  Therefore the money he has earned and saved will only be wasted by a son who is a complete moron when it comes to how to live. 

We need to leave our children an inheritance of godliness and wisdom as well as one that we can financially.  Without this our children will suffer far worse than if they miss a few luxuries according to the dictates of society.  There are those who will have wealth, but may spend eterntiy in abject poverty in hell when they die.  This is no inheritance that you want to pass on to your family.  If we leave them with wisdom and with knowledge of the Word and of their Savior Jesus Christ - they will be rich for eternity - even if they don't live on the upper east side in this life. 

The wicked will leave their wealth to the righteous.  This means that although they live wealthy for the few years of this life, they will eventually die and leave all of it to others.  Since they have lived for wickedness, their children will most likely waste their wealth and have it transfer to those who use wise principles in how they do business.  These are those who are godly and good in their business as well as their daily lives. 

There is something that we desperately need to leave to our children and their children.  It is a good thing if we can leave them an inheritance that will help them afford a home or other things financially.  But more importantly is to leave them with an inheritance in the things of the Lord.  This is something that can never be lost.  God promised that a godly man can touch thousands over the lives of his children and grandchildren.  But to do so we need to be willing to invest, not just in stocks and bonds - but in a godly heritage that will take a lifetime to develop and prepare for our families.