Estate Planning, from a Christian’s Perspective
The final aspect of creating a financial plan is estate preservation or protection. While we often shy away from this topic, it’s an important consideration for safeguarding not just our wealth, but also our freedom of choice, our family’s future and our values.
Estate planning isn’t just about what happens after we pass, but also about protecting our assets and ensuring that our loved ones are cared for. From a Christian perspective, this aligns with being a good steward of the resources God has entrusted to us.
“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children and his children’s children” Proverbs 13:22
This doesn’t only refer to financial wealth, but also to a legacy we pass on to future generations. It’s important to protect our wealth so that it can be handed down, but there’s something even more significant: the legacy of faith.
In Psalm 25, we are reminded that the “fear of the Lord” is a lasting inheritance. Protecting and passing on our faith is the most valuable inheritance we can give.
While estate planning can secure our material resources, we should also consider how to preserve our spiritual legacy. This could include leaving letters or devotional writings for our children and grandchildren, sharing key scriptures, or recording the values that have shaped our faith journey.
For me, it’s important to write down my thoughts, life verses, and reflections for my children, so they can have a tangible reminder of my faith. This goes beyond just verbal sharing; it’s about leaving something that will continue to guide them even after I’m gone. And while you should be sharing your faith with your family now, writing it down ensures that your spiritual legacy endures.
Additionally, if giving has been a priority in your life, you can incorporate that value into your estate plan. There are tools available that allow you to direct part of your estate to charities or ministries, tax-free, upon your passing.
You can even designate that your children or grandchildren continue this practice by giving a certain percentage each year to causes you’ve supported. This not only protects your wealth but ensures that your giving legacy lives on while instilling this value in them.
In summary, estate planning from a Christian perspective involves more than just protecting your wealth and your family. It’s about leaving a legacy of faith that will inspire and guide future generations.
Don’t just talk about these values—write them down, include them in your estate plan, and ensure that your spiritual legacy is passed on.
When you do this, you’re not only being a good steward of your resources, but you’re also honoring God with the most precious inheritance you can offer: the gift of faith.
A few additional Scripture References:
Praise the LORD!
How blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who greatly delights in His commandments.
His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
Psalm 112:1-3
There is treasure in the house of the godly. Proverbs15:6a
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith. 1 Timothy 5:8
“Tell it to your children and let your children tell it to their children and their children to the next generation.” Joel 1:3
“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” Psalms 145:4
“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Timothy 1:5