Proverbs 13:22

Proverbs 13:22 "A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just."

Solomon put a lot of thought into money matters, especially in the area of estate planning and inheritances.  Throughout the book of Proverbs and especially in Ecclesiastes, Solomon addressed what happens to our money after we're no longer among the living.  We're not entirely sure why he wrote about the matter as much as he did but perhaps it was because he was so wealthy himself or because he presumably had many children given the number of wives he possessed.  Regardless of the reason he wrote about it, God chose to include the content in His holy word for us to consider.  Let it be known however, that this proverb is less about money and more about morality.  This proverb highlights the relationship between our morality while living and our money when we're no longer living.  This important connection needs to be considered well before we sit down with an attorney to draft a will.  This connection needs to be learned before we purchase life insurance and assign beneficiaries.  This proverb is not intended for the elderly who are making end-of-life plans.  This proverb needs to be learned early if it is going to have any lasting impact as is the case for most of Solomon's proverbs, which is why he wrote to them primarily to his son.

Money matters in this proverb but it is largely the motivating subject to appreciate the character lesson.  Money is the subject but it is not the theme.  Leaving an inheritance is not the lesson; it is living a good life.  Wise and considerate financial planning is not the primary teaching; it is wholesome and virtuous living.  On both sides of the counsel, we see wealth and savings.  On one side, a good man has money to leave not only for his children, but also for his grandchildren.  To do that, a good man has to make and save enough money over the course of his lifetime.  On the other side of the proverb, a sinful man is said to have wealth and enough of it to be "laid up," or saved up for the just after his death.  To do that, this wicked man also has to make and save enough over the course of his lifetime.  Both morally-opposing parties have enough wealth to leave it for someone after their death which is why this proverb isn't addressing earning income, retaining riches or financial planning.  The emphasis is not on our money; it is on our morality.  The emphasis of this proverb is not on what we do with our money after our death; it is on what our morality does to us before our death.  Solomon wanted his son to focus on his morality as that would have a major impact on his money.  God would have His children focus on their morality as that will influence everything else in their lives, including and especially their financial legacy.

Through an attention-getting subject, this proverb teaches as least three things about the Value of GOODNESS:

1. Goodness leads to lasting relationships whereas wickedness leads to loss of relationships.
 
If this proverb was strictly about financial planning, then the second half would simply read, "and a bad man fails to leave an inheritance to his children's children."  God didn't lead Solomon to finish the proverb with the same idea but opposite scenario.  A good man leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren while a sinful man doesn't with one of the obvious reasons being that goodness cultivates relationships while wickedness kills them.  Selflessness attracts children and grandchildren while selfishness disgusts children and grandchildren.  Adults are unlikely to leave an inheritance to a child or grandchild they don't have a relationship with which is why people so often get removed from a will.  A parent or grandparent typically doesn't want to leave their hard-earned money to someone who wants little or nothing to do with them.  In most cases, it's not the child or grandchild who ruined the relationship and in all cases, wickedness breaks relationships.  Social skills alone don't break family relationships.  When it comes to family relationships, morality matters more than money.  Children want unconditional love more than unlimited funds.  Grandchildren want affection and attention more than presents and possessions.  Selfish adults destroy relationships and that leads to removed names from legal paperwork.

2. Goodness leads to lasting influence whereas wickedness leads to loss of influence.

Without a relationship, rarely is there an inheritance.  Without a relationship, rarely is there an influence except maybe a bad one.  Parents and grandparents who, through goodness, maintain healthy relationships with their loved ones leave their loved ones with something much more lasting than money.  Inheritances can quickly be spent and be gone but godly influence lasts forever.  An inheritance left to our children and grandchildren usually communicates a powerful message after our death as it says, "I love you."  When delivered after death, that message solidifies lessons taught and examples shown.  An inheritance sends a loud message about the relationship and nothing influences us like relationships.  When a person removes a child or grandchild from their will, they are sending a deafening message and a striking blow.  That will communicate the piercing message that they weren't worthy for some particular flaw or offence.  This could remove any positive influence and create negative influence.  A good man will cultivate good relationships with his offspring and in leaving an inheritance to them, will extend good influence to their lives.  A wicked man will create bad relationships with his descendants and in failing to leave an inheritance to them, will have no positive influence on them at all for the rest of their earthly lives.

3. Goodness leads to lasting control whereas wickedness leads to loss of control.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this proverb is the control a sinner loses regarding his wealth after death.  This proverb tells us that a good man leaves an inheritance to very specific people - "his children's children."  At the same time, it tells us that a bad man saves his wealth for people who are entirely contrary to him - "the just."  When our wickedness leads to broken relationships and foolish decisions, we'll find ourselves alone at the end of life with no one to share our wealth with.  Wickedness strips us of relationships to direct our hard-earned money towards after our death.  With no one in our lives we love or trust with our money, we leave our money to the courts or to non-profits.  Selfish people die lonely people and leave their money for God to take and disperse to the people He chooses to bless and provide for.  A good man however is granted the ability and control to dictate exactly who he wants his wealth to be distributed to.  Goodness retains an element of control in our lives.  Goodness blesses us with the privilege to make our own decisions and see them fulfilled in our death.
 
While Solomon was wise with money, he wasn't a financial advisor.  In this proverb, he is a virtue advisor counseling his son and audience to get goodness, not just a good attorney.  If you have goodness, you'll have good relationships and if you have good relationships, you'll do good things with your estate.  Financial advisors can't fix relationships at the end of life - they can only fix dollars and cents.  Get a will but get goodness so you have people to place in that will.