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Final Thoughts©
by Robert E. Alderman, Jr.
It is my sincere hope that the introduction to Bible-based estate planning through the integrated Life process as well as our non-profit discipleship program and/or biblical mediation services have given you reason to pause and consider the REAL wealth and WHOLE person structure of your own estate planning – God’s Way.
A professional business consultant in Arizona once said, “You wouldn’t ask your trial attorney to represent only part of your case. You wouldn’t ask your neurosurgeon to remove only part of your brain tumor. So…why would you do estate planning for less than your entire financial, social and personal/spiritual estate?”
What he said, of course, and the question he asked is a quandary every person has to consider and answer for him or herself.
It’s really a stewardship issue and one that is addressed throughout the Bible with a multiplicity of guidance for all aspects of our “estates” and our relationship with God.
I personally like the comment made by Charles Swindoll in his book “Living Above the Level of Mediocrity”: When Christ returns, He is not going to be concerned with how often we went to church or how many Bible verses we memorized. He is basically going to have one question of us: “What did you do with what I gave you?”
The way I often look at it is this: Whatever treasures, time, talents and truth we have are gifts entrusted to us from God. What we do with those blessings are our gifts to God.
To recap the B-beps process briefly:
In Level 1, we might evaluate our estate planning or stewardship responsibilities under the guidance of Matthew 25:15-30 (the parable of the talents) while also remembering Luke 16:11 (that to be entrusted with true riches, we first have to be trustworthy in worldly things).
At Level 2 – "addressing the legacy of love and meaning we each have the opportunity to create for our families" - I would pose this to you: God left words of instruction and guidance in the Bible for us as His children. What have you done to leave the equivalent of that for yours? (1 Cor 13; 1 Tim 5:8)
For Level 3 – (stewardship honoring God through your life and all that you are), these verses have always said a lot to me:
- From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48
- For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10
- A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. Luke 12:15
And then ultimately B-beps at Level 4 – (focusing our eyes on the prize of paradise for eternity), I adopt the Apostle Paul’s words:
- I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance and the incomparably great power for us who believe. Eph 1:18
- and the words of Christ:
For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his very soul? Mark 8:36
Again, my personal journey and goal are to be a speaker, writer, coach and motivator of estate planning God’s Way through the Bible’s analogy to our individual stewardship responsibilities over our WHOLE estates, REAL wealth and all that we are according to God’s purpose and desired enrichment of our lives.
If there is anything I can do to help you on your estate planning at any level, please let me know.
In the meantime, may God’s goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life.
Bob Alderman
P.S.
Our Country Lawyer Style:
We provide all aspects of our services and ministry – from the location and structure of our office, to our dress and demeanor – in a relaxed, country style.
Our working facility is a bunk house-like building that’s part of the barn on the property with my personal residence in the rural community of Agua Dulce in the high desert area of north Los Angeles County. We frequently wear blue jeans and sweatshirts – but, virtually never a coat and tie.
If you come and visit with us, your experience will be different from any you would normally have with an attorney or other ministry organization.
I believe you will find this combination to be a perfect blend of warmth and service to fulfill your personal discipleship and Bible-based estate planning goals or as a ministry to come along side your church or other Christian organization to help its members develop a better understanding of estate planning God’s Way.
Bob Alderman
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