Most parents want a better life for their children. Often, those who are financially able will leave their children a sizable inheritance—hoping that an extra cushion of cash will help them handle the needs, dangers, and uncertainties of life. This is a noble act, for Proverbs 13:22 declares, “Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren.”

But it’s not the best we can do. God commands us to leave a legacy that money can’t buy. When He delivered the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt, He warned them to “be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren” (Deuteronomy 4:9).

The Israelites were to hand down their covenant with God to their children by speaking about Him often: “Talk about [God’s commands] when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up” (Deuteronomy 6:7). If they were successful in leading their children to love God, then their descendants would “flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors” (11:21). If they failed and their children turned to idols, then they would “quickly disappear from the land” and “be utterly destroyed” (4:26).

So leaving a spiritual legacy has the potential to provide material helps for the next generation. The meek really will inherit the earth. While in the short run there are no guarantees, those who have been raised to love God and others are more apt to handle with care—and prayer—any financial windfall that comes their way. Most important, “their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need.” He will enable them to “experience true life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).