Proverbs 20:7 (ESV)
⁷ The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!

Many parents decide to leave their children all their earthly possessions when they die. That is generally a good idea. As Christians, however, we should be concerned with what we leave our children spiritually more than physically or economically. While there is nothing wrong with Christians being concerned with their children’s economic future, let us always remember the question that Jesus asked in Matthew 16:26:

Matthew 16:26 (ESV)
²⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

With this in mind, with what should we want to leave our children? In Proverbs 20:7 we see the value of being a good example for our children.

It is always a blessing to children when they can witness what true righteousness looks like when they are growing up. Parents who live with integrity will be honest and trustworthy, and their children will be the first beneficiaries of such characteristics. This would be a part of the blessedness of which Solomon is speaking.

The children will also be blessed when, and if, they follow the example of integrity that they learn from their home life. While there are no guarantees when it comes to our children, if we are people of integrity, there is a good chance that we will be influencing them to be the same. As a result of their righteousness and integrity, they will be blessed by God. Leaving our children with the example and influence of righteousness and integrity is far more valuable than any amount of financial inheritance.

While leaving our children with good character is extremely important, that alone will not help them make choices that will get them to heaven. Just as important is that we leave them with the truth of God’s Word.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (ESV)
⁴ “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ⁵ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ⁶ And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

These verses are known in traditional Judaism as “the Shema,” a transliteration of the first Hebrew word of verse 4, which is translated “hear” (Holman Old Testament Commentary). The Hebrew word denotes the idea of not only hearing, but to consent to and obey. The key here is that the instructions to love God entirely was to be diligently taught to the children. This has always been God’s will for parents.

This begins with teaching children about God Himself. If our children do not know God, their lives will be displeasing to Him, and their souls will ultimately be lost. When the Jews failed to follow these instructions, after the death of Joshua, an entire generation of Jews arose who did not know God (Judges 2:9-10). It is not surprising that this generation of Jews did evil in the sight of God (ver. 11).

If we do not want our children to do evil before God, it is critically important that we teach them about Him. We must teach them to respect God, putting Him and His will before men at all times (Acts 5:29). We must also be sure that we teach them the proper view of God’s Word, as well as the details of His commandments that must be kept.

When people are religiously inclined, yet believe that the Word of God is composed of suggestions that one might choose to follow, rather than commands and instructions that must be obeyed, they give their children the wrong impression about God. We must teach our children to view the Bible as nothing less than God’s Word, and that when commandments are given, there is nothing suggestive about them, but they must be obeyed. We must teach them how important it is to have the authority of Christ for everything that we do (Colossians 3:17), and about the consequences for not abiding in the doctrine of Christ (2 John 1:9-11). When we leave our children with this view of the Word of God, we are doing them a great service that will help them maintain a good relationship with God.

We must leave our children with the truth about the church. In a world that is filled with man-made churches that do not adhere to the principles of the gospel, and that practice unauthorized things regularly, we must teach our children how to recognize the Lord’s church. When was it established? Where was it established? Concerning local churches, what work did the church of the New Testament do, and how did Christians that made up those churches worship God? How were local churches organized? These are details that matter and must be taught to our children.

As I wrote in the beginning, there is nothing wrong with leaving our children with an earthly inheritance, but what we leave them spiritually is far more important.