The Inheritance
A sense of desperation descended upon him as he looked out at his inheritance. What in the world was his father thinking??
Michael’s father, Charles Bailey Hampton, had passed silently in his sleep after a short struggle with a severe case of pneumonia. The memorial service, funeral and burial were all finally over and last week they had the reading of the will. It was just his older brother Greg, his sister Ashley, and him…Michael, the youngest, that were there. Their mother had passed away several years earlier. They had all gathered at the office of their family lawyer and their father’s long-time friend, Robert Clark.
As the will was read, they really didn’t expect any surprises. His older brother would get his father’s business, then all three of them would split the rest of the family assets. No squabbles. No arguments.
But that’s not exactly how it went. His brother Greg got the business as expected, his sister Ashley got the house, which didn’t surprise him either. But he was completely unprepared for what came out of Mr. Clark’s mouth when his name was called.
“And to my son, Michael, I leave Hampton Farms…”
He looked at his siblings incredulously. They had the same bewildered look on their faces as he was sure he had on his. Mr. Clark assured them he was reading the will correctly. Then he handed Michael a map and a set of keys.
And now, here he was, standing on the front steps of a modest but charming little farmhouse looking out across green meadows, copses of trees and freshly plowed land.
He couldn’t believe it! He never knew his dad had this place. He knew his father “invested in real estate,” but this?
“Well, whatcha think?” said a voice behind him. It was Fred MacDonald, the grizzled, leathery looking old gentleman whom he had met when he first arrived…and who insisted on being called “Mack”.
“I don’t know what to think Mack,” he said. “I don’t understand it. Why did my dad leave this to me? I’m certainly no farmer. I don’t know the first thing about crops or plowing or farming. I wouldn’t even know where to start.
“It’s just too big for me.”
Mack took a long steady look at him. Then after a minute or two he said, “Follow me. I want to show ya something.”
He led Michael down the steps and around to the back of the house. As he followed, Michael noticed that Mack’s gait was steady and solid. His back was straight and he walked with a sense of purpose and strength. Michael thought to himself, “this man might look old, but I bet he could outwork me any day of the week!” He couldn’t wait to tell his wife Katie about him when he got back. They were expecting their first child in a few months.
The gravel drive they were walking down led to a nice sized garage. They stopped at the doors and Mack looked expectantly at him.
“Well?” he said.
“Well what?” Michael replied.
“You have the keys, son.”
Michael fished in his pockets and pulled out the set of keys Mr. Clark had given him. After a few tries, he found the one that fit the lock for the garage. The doors swung open to reveal not only a top-of-the-line tractor, but every tool imaginable for farming you could ever need or want.
He had to admit. It was pretty impressive. And he did like a good set of tools to play with. Maybe all those times he would go out and tinker with the car would pay off. He did work in their garden from time to time too. But working in a home garden and working a farm were two different things! Doubt began to fill his heart again.
“I can see you’re still a bit uneasy,” Mack said.
“Your dad was too. But after he got in there and started working, everything just started flowin’. Once he got dirt under his nails, smelled the earth when it’s freshly plowed, saw the first green shoots of spring, then the harvest…then years of toil and hard work, he fell in love with it! And he didn’t wait until he knew everything first either. Why, if he did that, he never woulda got started! He just did the next thing. I helped him all along the way.
“Your father passed this along to you because he knew you were the one who could do it…who would carry on this dream he had of havin’ a farm. Don’t worry. I’m here. I’ll help you too. Your father left you all the tools you could ever need to do the job you need to do. All you have to do is just start.”
So many things were going through Michael’s head. What about this, what about that, what about his job, where will he find the time, what about Katie and their unborn baby?
He turned and looked at the beautiful fields, so ready for planting and harvesting. He turned back again and looked into the garage full of every tool he would ever need. Then he turned and looked at Mack.
“You’ll be here?” he asked.
“Not goin’ anywhere.”
With hope in his heart and a prayer on his lips, Michael took a deep breath.
“Where do I start?”
“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
2 Timothy 2:1-2
It’s simple. Take what you’ve been given and pass it along. This is discipleship.
But simple isn’t always easy, is it? Life isn’t easy. But we accept it that way. That’s our life. That’s our journey…our story. The reason you have your story is because somebody else needs to hear it. So, pass it along. And you don’t have to worry, friends. This is not too big for you. You have what it takes to do the things you’ve been called to do…to step into the things He calls you to. Where God guides, He always provides. You have all the tools you need…a whole garage full! And the Holy Spirit is always there guiding and leading.
Your Father knows you can do it. All you have to do is start.
So, take a deep breath…
Dear Father. Sometimes stepping out in faith is so scary! It would be so much easier and safer for me to just keep on doing what I’ve been doing. But I know “safe” is not where growth happens. Sometimes I have to go out on a limb because that’s where the fruit is. Give me the courage to step out when I need to. No matter what. Amen.
