A dear friend is embroiled in a nearly bloody battle with
her siblings over potential inheritances from their father, who is still very
much alive. Supposedly, one brother is going through particularly tough
financial troubles and draining his father’s coffers. The siblings are truly
ticked off over what they perceive as an inequity.
If their Uncle Jake (not his real name) knew what was going on
behind the scenes, so to speak, he’d have a fit. They are fighting over his
funds, which have nothing to do with them at this point – and might never, if he
catches wind of their antics. Seriously, Uncle Jake is likely to live another
10 to 15 years.
Are his kids gonna fight that whole time?
It would be easy for
us to stand and shake our fists at such folks.
Maybe we’d try to be a bit more subtle and just shake our
heads, roll our eyes, or sigh in supposed superiority. Or we might try to take
sides in this conflict, which isn’t ours at all.
We might even quote this well-known Bible verse:
“Whoever brings ruin on their family will
inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.” (Proverbs 11:29,
NIV)
OK, not so fast. First, who appointed us as family court for
someone else’s family? And are we all that better?
Isn’t it exactly what
we do with God's eternal promise?
Do we consider Heaven and wonder how big our mansions will
be and how many jewels we’ll have in our crowns (compared to others)? Have we
ever wondered where our seats at Heaven’s table might be located? Like the
mother of Zebedee’s James and John, who questioned Jesus about eternity’s
seating chart (see Matthew 20:20-28), are we jumping the proverbial gun a bit
here?
Are we putting on
airs, simply because we are heirs?
Maybe.
First, what’s an heir? The dictionary defines “heir” as
someone who has legal rights of inheritance of position, property, and title of
another. This may occur by descent, relationship, or legal documentation.
Jesus, the only Son of God, is Heir of Heaven. All that the
Father is and has belongs to Him as well:
“But
in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom
also he made the universe.” (Hebrews 1:2, NIV)
The Lord made us legal co-heirs by His sacrificial death in
our place. In other words, the Heir of Heaven left the air of Heaven to bear
our errors and share His eternal inheritance with us. The price He paid makes
us children of God. Legally, completely, and forever.
“Now
if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share
in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8:17,
NIV)
“If
you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29, NIV)
“Since
you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4:7b, NIV)
“So
that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
(Titus 3:7, NIV)
And all this has nothing to do with anything wonderful we
think we have done to earn or merit such reward. It is all about grace and what
Jesus did for us.
What wonderful assurances
of our forever home.
Based on everything the Bible says about Heaven and how it
is beyond all comprehension, I am pretty sure there will be more than enough (of
whatever wonders Heaven has) to go around. No one can stop it or use it up or
grab it away. Not now or ever.
And, once we catch a glimpse of God in all His glory, I
think it’s a fair bet, nothing else will matter.
Just being with Jesus
will likely undo us.
May it ever be so.
Image/s:
Artwork adapted by this user from public
domain image
