Will power

Californian pastor John Ortberg tells how as a child he played Monopoly against his grandmother. Time and again he lost but then came the great day came when he finally won a game. At which point his grandmother reminded him, ' Remember John, it all goes back in the box!'

This simple but profound story is a challenge to all who spend a lifetime accumulating money and wanting to win. For Christians all we have is a gift entrusted to our stewardship. Billy Graham observed that our bank and credit card statements are theological documents, written evidence of our priorities in life. The wills we make – or do not make – say much the same thing.

• Over 500 years ago Archbishop Cranmer urged church members to keep their wills up to date and it is no less an act of Christian stewardship today.
• Making a will is first and foremost an act of godly and wise preparation for our own death and careful planning for our families. Indeed the consequences of not having a will can be serious, causing problems and distress for those we love.
• A will also provides a unique opportunity for making a gift to the church that has nurtured our faith and the ministries that we have supported through our lives.
• A legacy extends the principle of planned giving from our disposable income to the value of our whole estate. In these days of rising house prices consideration of a legacy should be an essential part of Christian giving.

Legacies are not spontaneous gifts. Considerations of family needs and future plans mean that wills and legacies require of us the wise and careful planning of mature stewardship. Always take independent professional advice in making and regularly reviewing a will.