In my opinion, one of the most popular excerpts addressing stewardship is Proverbs 13:22: “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children…” (NIV). Initially, it’s easy to take this at surface level. We can see wisdom in the idea that a family works, saves, and invests wisely over a lengthy period of time, builds up a healthy nest egg, and then refrains from consuming all they’ve managed so that it can be passed on to others.
But what if we don’t truly grasp financial literacy until later in life? Or never at all? Or, it’s possible that we enjoy a particular position or profession that doesn’t typically provide a large earning capacity.
The definition of wealth doesn’t only apply to money, but is “plentiful supplies of a particular resource.” So we must not forget that an inheritance does not only apply to our finances. In fact, I would encourage those that may never have what they consider to be financial wealth to remember that diligence, integrity, and trustworthiness can all be inherited traits. These traits can lead to greater financial stability for the next generation when passed on to them by example and teaching. This aspect of the inheritance is actually more important than the financial dimension. For if you were to leave a sizeable inheritance to a loved one that was dishonest, idle, and careless, that inheritance would likely stop at that generation, whereas passing on the influence of a godly character would likely carry on for generations to come.
Taylor Shouse
Staff Writer
Ministers Resource Services
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