Inheritance? What Inheritance?
I inadvertently opened a can of worms the other day when I said I don't think it's impossible to be too generous. I thought that post would stir up some dialogue, but instead of what I expected, it opened a different can of worms. I received six e-mails about the exact same thing....here's how one person succinctly (and bluntly) put it:
"What about your kids' inheritance? You think it's ok just to give away their inheritance?"
I love this, as it opens the door to have a very counter-cultural conversation. I don't personally believe in leaving financial inheritances. Practically speaking, here's what it means for me: No matter how much Sarah and I have when we die, almost all of it will be given away. Why? Why would we do that?
As a Christian, one of the core tenets of my faith is an understanding that everything I have belongs to God: money, possessions, skills, passions, etc. If that's true - if I sincerely believe that's true - why would I then turn around and give everything I have to my kids? To me, that would be hypocritical and self-serving. Therefore, as stewards of God's resources, anything we have left when we pass shall be given away.
Does this mean I'm just abandoning my children? Does that make me a bad parent? Does it show a lack of care for the next generation?
Here are a few implications of how I perceive this topic:
The "inheritance" I leave them when I die, in part, will (hopefully) include the skills and care to be a good steward with the resources they are blessed to manage in their lives. I want to equip them to do well in this area of life.
I hope to financially help my kids along their journey BEFORE I die. I want to help with college, weddings, and possibly other major milestones. I don't want to enable them, but rather encourage them.
When we pass away, whatever financial resources we have left will be given to our family's generosity trust (which we currently use). I aspire for my children to manage it well and execute the plan after we pass away. I want to entrust them to oversee our last tangible impact here on earth, and I hope they receive this responsibility with gratitude and honor.
More than anything, I hope Sarah and I can be living witnesses to these principles for our kids, and when they eventually grow older, they decide to replicate something similar with their children.
That, my friends, is true legacy. Legacy isn't a dollar amount, a bank balance, or some other form of "generational wealth." I want to build a legacy of generosity and selflessness that can span generations. That's my heart. That's my dream. So, no, I don't plan on giving my kids a financial inheritance. But I hope what I do give them is far more valuable.
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