Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
Acts 20:31-34
When Cornelius Vanderbilt died in 1877, he was considered to be the richest man in the world. He left the bulk of his vast fortune accumulated through his railroad and shipping businesses to his son William along with the instruction, “Keep the money together.” The total William inherited was $95 million, almost $3 billion in today’s money, which was more than entire holdings of the US Treasury at the time. When William Vanderbilt died, the fortune had more than doubled. He left an inheritance of over $200 million, more than $6 billion today to those who came after him. The third generation, however, frittered it away. It is said that in the fourth generation of the family, there was not a single millionaire to be found.
Earthly inheritances, no matter how large, can be diminished, squandered, or lost. But the inheritance God gives His children is entirely different. It is secure in Christ and cannot be exhausted by those who receive it. Peter described it as “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).
Yet, as Paul’s words in Acts 20 remind us, God’s provision for His children is not only future. He has given us His Word to build us up in the present. Through Scripture, God gives us the truth, wisdom, correction, and encouragement we need to grow in grace and live as those who belong to Him.
