After Living Giving

Both of the points (inheritance and future giving) that Keith made as reasons to save are very good. However, I do feel that both of them merit a little discussion.

Leaving an inheritance is certainly biblical. Proverbs 13:22; 2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Timothy 5:8 are just a few of the verses that confirm this.

But I believe this is only half of the truth. The other half is the importance of leaving the wisdom to manage the inheritance. Without this wisdom the inheritance will lead to destruction. I am sure most of us have seen this truth played out in someone we know. Proverbs 20:21; Galatians 4:1-2; Ecclesiastes 2:18-21 and the parable of the lost son in Luke 15:11-31 confirm the danger of not teaching biblical money management before leaving an inheritance.

So in addition to leaving an inheritance to our children and family, we must make sure that we provide them with the wisdom and training necessary to manage the inheritance. The source of this wisdom is the Word of God. This should be the first step in Godly estate planning.

But let's look at the other suggestion for saving; future giving. 1 Timothy 6:18 which is written to the rich in this present world (includes anyone reading this) instructs us to be generous and ready to share. The parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 points out the futility of saving and not giving. So definitely another good motive for saving is future giving.

Although I can find many verses in the Bible that refer to leaving an inheritance, I cannot find any that indicate we should leave money to the Lord's work. I think that the Bible's silence on "after-living" giving to the Lord's work indicates we need to exercise caution in this area.

Yes, I have seen many needs met through legacies left in wills and estates. I am confident that God works in a powerful way through this type of giving. But I do not think we should ignore this subtle caution given by the silence on "after-living" giving to God's work.

Let me try to explain why I believe the Bible is silent on "after living" giving and making this a major part of our giving plan. I think the best way to explain this is with a personal example.

Both of my parents loved the Lord. I believe they tried to honor God in all areas of their lives including their finances. When they went home to be with Him, I was the executor of their will. In their will they selected a ministry close to their hearts to share their estate.

Although updated periodically, they created the will and selected the ministry about 20 years before they died. The particular ministry they selected had stayed basically true to the Word of God, but a few disturbing pieces of information had been recently released. The information indicated a possible loosening of the commitment to God's word that my parents held so close to their hearts.

In a day when Satan is relentlessly attacking the leaders of the relatively few ministries and churches that are true to God's word, shouldn't we exercise caution about long term future commitments? First and foremost these ministries need our prayers that they will remain true to the Word of God. But also they need our financial support today as only God knows the future.

Yes, we must plan for our future (Luke 14:28-29). Part of that planning should include having resources to provide for our needs after we are able to earn a living. If the Lord would call us home earlier than we expected and before we used up those funds, consider giving them to His work through "after-living" giving.

But as far as making a major part of our giving strategy our estate plan, I think we must note that God is silent on this subject. Maybe there is some truth to that old saying "Do your giving while you are living so you are knowing where it is going"?