Inheritance is More than Money

Visiting my ancestral home brings many opportunities for reunion and shared stories with old friends and family. One of my favorite interactions is to meet the children of those with whom I grew up. I am always amazed at the strength of the gene pool.

We inherit all sorts of things from our parents besides money. It is the sort of things we ‘don’t have to wait for’ that are the most joyous of any inheritance. We inherit physical elements for sure, but we also inherit what could be called a ‘life attitude’ from our parents.

If our parents were ‘good with money’ we are more likely to be good with money. If our parents were premier examples of loving and supportive parents, we enjoy a much higher chance of passing down such love and support to our children. In short, we are what we experience.

Take a brief look at today’s reading from Saint Paul’s letter to the Galatians. He speaks to us as ‘sons of God’ in a way that should make us think of what we inherit from our Father. As His heirs, we are promised the Kingdom, but while we wait, we can inherit much more from God.

Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Galatians 3:23-29;4:1-5

If we remember God is our Father, not just our Master, we will consider the ‘life attitude’ we inherit from Him. He is the ultimate example of a loving and supporting parent. He is the prime example of what attitude we should stive to imitate if we want to follow in His footsteps.

Some of the other traits, or ‘life attitude’, we inherit from God is how we treat those who fight against us. The Father send His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to save every person from death and destruction. Every person means every person, good or evil, believer or unbeliever.

“He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5.45) Saint Paul says it much better than I can in his letter to the Romans.

Brethren, as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:4–5,15–21

The best inheritance is our willingness to follow in our Father’s footsteps, and ‘take over the family business’ for future generations. If you want others to look at you and know before you ever have to say it, that you are ‘your Father’s child’ then start living like Him now.

Now, here’s the hard part, out loud. IF people are forced to wonder ‘who’ our Father is, then we are not embracing our inheritance. If our actions do not follow the ‘life attitude’ of God, then we are not living as His children, and we may forfeit our inheritance.

God will not force us to live in any way. We must choose to accept our inheritance for it to be a blessing to us. Worse than forfeiting is refusing our inheritance. When we choose to live like the children of ‘another father’ than we refuse the inheritance God has prepared for us.

I don’t know about you, but I prefer God’s inheritance to any other. I hope you agree.