Inheritance - The Bible on Money

“But the father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” And they began to be merry.”

Luke 15:22

The story of the prodigal son speaks to inheritance in many ways. First, the younger son knew he had an inheritance coming to him from his father. So, he asked for all of it in advance, and his father obliged. Second, the older son, who stayed home, did everything his father told him to and never asked for his inheritance, still had access to the inheritance from his father (Luke 15:25, 28-31). His father said to him, “You are always with me, and all that I have is yours.” But the third is the most precious of them all.

When the younger son squandered his inheritance and left home, he regretted what he did. He realized life on his own was nothing compared to life in his father’s house. So, he returned sorrowfully. And when his father came out to meet him, he said, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” And even though his son was ungrateful, foolish and frivolous with the money he gave him, he was just happy to have him back home… in his house. He quickly draped a robe around him, placed jewelry on his hands and prepared a feast to celebrate. Not because his son made the right decisions when he left home. But because his son, who was once lost, finally found his way back home.

As children of the Most High God, we wander off into the wilderness, making the wrong turns left and right. For days. For weeks. For months. Even years. Clearly, we’re not perfect. But God never asks us to be. He’s just glad when we come back home. To His house.

There’s always a place for us in His house. Even when we know we have gone astray. Even when we know we have been selfish and ungrateful. Even when we know we have been impatient. Even when we know we have been a bad reflection of Him. And even when we are unworthy to be called His child.

Through our Father, we have an inheritance to the Kingdom. It’s the greatest inheritance there is, where neither moth nor rust can destroy the treasures inside (Matthew 6:20). But sometimes, we get so used to living on this side of Heaven, that we forget about our rightful claim to what’s in the Kingdom and chase after the material possessions here on earth, instead. Yes, God wants us to be prosperous. He is more than willing to bless us with an inheritance here on earth (Psalm 25:12-13). He is a generational God who wants to pass the land He gave to our fathers down to us, our children and our children’s children (1 Chronicles 28:8). And although it’s not good deeds that save us, but Jesus’ blood, rather, He is watching what we do on earth. He wants us to provide for our children and our families. For, if we don’t, we’re worse than an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5:8; Ecclesiastes 5:13-14; Proverbs 13:22). And He wants us to provide for them wisely. A child is still just a child, until old enough to make big decisions (Galatians 4:1-2). Giving anyone more than they can handle is more of a curse than it is a blessing (Proverbs 20:21). He loves a hard worker. But working hard to the extent that we only care about the temporary rewards (the nice car, the big house, the fancy clothes, the inheritance), is not His desire for us. We can’t take any of it with us (Ecclesiastes 2:18). No matter what we inherit on earth, however much, it says nothing about our life (Luke 12:15). Living by His commandments says it all. Our parents do the best they can to provide a good life for us. Whether it’s because of mistakes, strife, trials, tribulations or hardships, we’re not always left with an inheritance. So, what are we living for? Are we living for our inheritance here on earth? Or are we living for our inheritance in the Kingdom? Because, no matter what our mother and father were able to leave us with, our Heavenly Father has always promised us an inheritance, because He is more than able. He Is our inheritance (Numbers 18:20; Ezekiel 44:28).

He’s just waiting for us to turn away from the things we can only inherit on earth. He’s just waiting for us to seek the only treasures neither moth nor rust can destroy. He’s just waiting for us to come back home. Because, in our Father’s house, there’s always a place for us.

Inheritance - The Bible on Money

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