“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous…A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 13:22; 22:1).
The impact of your legacy on future generations is impossible to measure accurately. If your legacy is a good name, you have given your children and grandchildren a noble standard to live up to instead of a shame to live down. There are many things in the legacy you hand down to your descendants which are vastly superior to material wealth and earthly possessions. Such things as faithful obedience to God, integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, generosity, kindness, compassion, and a sober, righteous, and godly life will make your legacy priceless.
If the only thing of any possible value you can pass on to your heirs is monetary in nature, you will leave them a pitiful and crummy legacy. Like King Jehoahaz, you will die “to no one’s sorrow” (2 Chron. 21:20), and, like the rich man, you will die spiritually bankrupt (Luke 16:22-24).
