by Pastor Patrick Cho
One of the places in Scripture to find a wealth of helpful principles for parenting is the Proverbs. Almost every book on parenting will reference these Scriptures repeatedly because of the wisdom they contain. Besides the plethora of verses that apply to parenting indirectly, several passages address parenting specifically.
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22)
This is an interesting Proverb only because it seems there are so many exceptions to this ideal. Remember that Proverbs are not communicating universal truths but general maxims. They are written to communicate godly wisdom to help us understand who God is and what He generally desires of His people. After I read this verse, various examples came to mind of godly men who didn’t have the means to provide inheritances for their children, let alone their grandchildren. What if a man doesn’t even have children? Contrariwise, it is not uncommon to see the wealth of sinners oftentimes benefiting their families for generations to come.
But the truth of this proverb is illustrated in Scripture in several places. For instance, the wealth of righteous Abraham benefited his family for several generations, and Israel was able to plunder the idolatrous Egyptians before departing for Canaan. There are two key contrasts in this couplet. The first is between the good man and the sinner. The other is between the products of their lives. In other words, the verse is communicating that in the end, sin does not pay; it isn’t worth it and its consequences extend beyond even your life. At the end of your life, what will your righteous living (or sinful living) show for itself? The idea is that your righteous living will benefit your children and your children’s children. Whereas, if you spent your life in unrepentant sin, you will leave your family bankrupt.
Even if this principle does not prove itself financially for your family, it almost universally pays off spiritually. While your godliness does not guarantee the godliness of your children, generally we see the Lord’s kindness in this, that a couple’s children adopt the faith of their parents. Maybe you will not be able to leave your children a grand inheritance of houses and the riches of this world, but that does not mean you cannot pass on a lasting legacy of godliness that will benefit your children in this life and the life to come.