Inheritance

For Monday, August 15, 2005
Proverbs 11:29

Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

Inheritance is the cause of many troubles in households. "Mom knew how much I always wanted the dining furniture." "You never cared about tools anyhow; I should have them." And then there is the money to quarrel over; should the home be sold? But then, it is not the inheritance that troubles a household. It is the selfish heart, the greedy heart, the spiteful heart.

James explains this well in his letter: "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel (James 4:1-2). What the troubler ends up inheriting is the wind, something he cannot hold onto. Even if he gets the money, he loses it. Even though he gets heirloom, it gives no pleasure. He ends up with nothing.

The troubler is a fool, for he foolishly places his hopes in what cannot keep its promise and in what creates trouble for himself. Thus, he ends up being a servant to the one who is wise. Note that the wise is the wise of heart. He is not merely clever, but his heart is right. There are many who are clever but wicked; but the truly wise are those whose hearts are right with God. Then they receive clarity; then they bring forth good fruit; then they are rewarded by their God who sees all things, even into their hearts.