If You’re a Christian and Want to Leave an Inheritance…
Faith, stewardship, risk, and why life insurance can be a tool for generational inheritance
Most of what we spend our lives working on disappears when we’re gone. Deadlines fade. Titles are forgotten. Paychecks stop.
But some things last.
Proverbs 13:22 says:
“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.”
That verse gets quoted often, but rarely unpacked. What does it actually mean? And how should Christians think about inheritance, legacy, and stewardship in the modern world?
This article isn’t about hype, guilt, or financial pressure. It’s about wisdom, intentionality, and aligning the way we handle money with what we say we believe.
What Scripture Says About Inheritance
The Bible doesn’t talk about inheritance often, but when it does, it’s meaningful.
Proverbs 13:22 points to multi-generational thinking. A good man doesn’t only think about his children, but his grandchildren. The blessing extends beyond one lifetime.
Ecclesiastes 7:11–12 adds important balance:
“Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.”
Inheritance has value — but wisdom is greater. Money without wisdom can be wasted or even harmful.
Bible commentator David Guzik puts it this way:
“The blessing on the life of a good man is great enough that, upon his death, he has enough to give not only to his children but to his grandchildren. More importantly, the good man passes an inheritance greater than material wealth — he gives the gift of goodness itself.”
That phrase — the gift of goodness itself — stands out to me.
When I think about my own kids, the most important thing I can leave them isn’t a dollar amount. It’s who I am. The example I set. The prayers I pray over them. The convictions I live out daily.
Money can disappear. Character and faith, when passed down intentionally, can echo for generations.
A Necessary Clarification: Essential vs. Non-Essential
Before going any further, this matters.
Leaving an inheritance is not an essential issue of the Christian faith.
Your eternal destination is not determined by how much money you pass on, whether you set up a trust, or whether you structured your finances “correctly.”
Salvation comes through belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is the most essential truth of Christianity.
When Proverbs speaks about inheritance, it is offering wisdom for living, not requirements for salvation.
Proverbs are not guarantees, promises, or commands. They are principles — patterns that are generally true and worth pursuing, but not formulas where doing X guarantees Y.
Legacy matters, but it is not ultimate.
Christ alone is ultimate.
Why Inheritance Feels Heavy for Many Christians
I’ve noticed that many Christians feel a quiet burden around inheritance.
They sense that leaving something behind matters, but they don’t know where to begin. Some wonder, “How am I supposed to multiply what I already have?” Others assume they’ll never have enough to make a meaningful difference.
But Scripture doesn’t reserve inheritance only for the wealthy.
You don’t have to be rich to leave an inheritance. You need wisdom, stewardship, and the right tools.
Rethinking Risk
We hear it constantly:
“High risk equals high reward.”
But have you ever stopped to think about what risk actually means?
According to Oxford Languages, risk is defined as:
A situation involving exposure to danger
To expose someone or something valued to harm or loss
And financially, risk is defined as:
The possibility of financial loss
So when the world says “take more risk,” what it’s really saying is:
Expose your money — and your family’s future — to a greater possibility of loss.
That doesn’t sound like wisdom. It sounds like gambling.
Stewardship isn’t about chasing danger and hoping it works out. It’s about minimizing unnecessary risk while still being intentional with what God has entrusted to us.
My Personal Convictions About Legacy
For me, leaving an inheritance isn’t about chasing the largest possible number. It’s about leaving something significant, certain, and aligned with my values.
That’s why I struggle with the stock market as the foundation of a legacy plan.
Yes, there are real companies and real profits. But stock prices are often driven by emotion — fear, panic, rumors, and herd behavior. One day an investment is worth X, the next day it’s worth half that, even if the business itself didn’t change.
That’s not the kind of foundation I want my family’s future built on.
I want:
More control over where my money lives
More predictability in how value grows
More certainty that what I leave behind will actually be there
So if the question is where can I put my money in a way that reflects both wisdom and stewardship, I believe life insurance is one of the clearest answers — when it’s the right type of life insurance and structured intentionally for capital accumulation and a growing death benefit.
It isn’t flashy. But it offers control, predictability, and certainty when so much of the financial world feels like shifting sand.
Why Life Insurance Can Support Biblical Stewardship
Life insurance isn’t about being wealthy.
Anyone — regardless of where they’re starting — can use it as a tool to leave behind more than they otherwise could.
Some people begin with term insurance for affordability and protection. Others combine term and permanent coverage. Some start with term and later convert to permanent coverage as their capacity grows.
For context, I personally carry over $3.2 million of coverage on my life at 31 years old, spread across three policies. Most of that is term insurance, while about 20% is in a whole life policy designed for cash accumulation.
Over time, that permanent policy will continue to grow in value while my term coverage remains level.
This isn’t theory for me. It’s a stewardship decision I’ve made for my own family.
Life insurance is one of the simplest ways to ensure that something meaningful and guaranteed is passed on — making Proverbs 13:22 practical, not abstract.
Two Common Lies About Inheritance
1. “I won’t be able to leave much anyway.”
Even modest policies can create six- or seven-figure, tax-free legacies.
Inheritance isn’t about how much you start with. It’s about how wisely you steward what you have.
2. “If I leave significant money, my kids will become entitled.”
We’ve all heard stories of families where wealth led to resentment and destruction. But we’ve also heard stories where wealth created opportunity, generosity, and gratitude.
The difference wasn’t the dollars.
It was the discipleship.
Money doesn’t create character — it reveals it.
When parents model generosity, faith, and stewardship, inheritance doesn’t corrupt. It equips.
What the Rockefellers Got Right About Legacy
The Rockefellers are often cited as an example of multi-generational wealth, but their real advantage wasn’t oil money.
It was structure.
They used:
Trusts with clear rules and governance
Family constitutions that reflected shared values
Regular family meetings to reinforce vision, stewardship, and responsibility
As Garrett Gunderson highlights in What Would the Rockefellers Do?, wealth survives generations when it’s paired with clarity, conversation, and purpose.
You don’t need Rockefeller-level wealth to apply these principles. Even modest families can adopt the same mindset.
The Bigger Picture of Inheritance
Inheritance isn’t just about transferring money.
It’s about:
Passing down wisdom alongside assets
Leaving a legacy of faith and generosity
Equipping future generations to steward well
When financial provision is paired with discipleship, inheritance becomes a blessing rather than a burden.
Final Thoughts
Leaving an inheritance isn’t about guilt or pressure.
It’s about opportunity.
When we combine wisdom, faith, and certainty, we give our children and grandchildren something far greater than money alone.
You don’t have to be wealthy.
You just have to be intentional.
And you can be the catalyst for generations that steward money God’s way.
