A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children. Proverbs 13:22

You’ve probably seen the bumper stickers on the back of a large RV truckin’ down the highway. It reads, “I’m spending my kids’ inheritance.” The first time I saw that I thought it was humorous, but then it dawned on me. That is not a philosophy of life to smile about because the message being heard by younger generations is: “I’m living for myself and nobody else, including my kids and grandkids.”

These days I get increasingly frustrated with adults of my generation and beyond with that mindset. Why would any believer choose to live their life spending the assets God has given them on themselves rather than investing it in the lives of the next generations? Don’t get me wrong. I am all for some much deserved rest and relaxation, even in an RV if that’s your thing.

On the other hand, the eat, drink and be merry philosophy prevalent today easily seduces us into thinking it’s all about me. We lose sight of the source of and purpose for what we have been given. Jesus made it clear when he told the story of the rich fool (Luke 12:13-21), that a “man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Why! Because everything we have has been received. Your life, my life is not defined by what we have, but by how we use it. Jesus called it being “rich toward God” in contrast to storing up for and spending on ourselves.

I have to admit that I am guilty of falling into that trap. This is a land of affluence that fuels an entitlement mentality. I need to be constantly reminded that what I have God gave me so that I might be rich toward others, and in so doing, be rich towards God.

What example am I setting for my grandchildren when it comes to putting aside my own agenda for the sake of others, especially the next generations? At the end of my life, will I have missed opportunities to influence my grandchildren? Will they understand what it means to be rich towards God and want to do the same?

If you care about the inheritance you will leave your grandchildren, here is a four-step challenge for those with the courage to take it up.

1. Take fifteen minutes every day for the next week to make an inventory of all the assets that have been entrusted to you—material and non-material. Non-material assets include things like your skills, talents, gifts, education and knowledge bank, lessons gained from life experiences, personality traits, faith and family.
2. Choose three assets on your inventory list and reflect or pray about who might be a fitting beneficiary of those assets. It could be a grandchild, a neighbor, or a child/youth at your church, a homeless person, etc.
3. Now ask God to show you how best to spend and distribute those three assets as soon as possible as a way of blessing those people.
4. Repeat the process with all the other assets on your list.

Take this challenge to leave an inheritance worth inheriting. Spend yourself for the next generations and then pay attention to what God will do through you and in you.

After you’ve completed the challenge at least one asset, write me back and share what happened so we can encourage others to take up the challenge with you.