Mary,* a woman I had known for many years, asked me to be the original executor upon her death after the original executor of her estate unexpectedly passed away.
I discovered that Mary’s financial affairs were complicated, and that her financial institutions were uncooperative. Mary held real estate and financial accounts in more than one state, and people owed her money. She and the original executor had been working diligently, and spending a lot of time in the process, to get these complications resolved.
A person had bequeathed money to Mary, but the executor of that estate was doing his best to find every legal way to withhold that money from her. It became extremely apparent that I would need help, so I retained an attorney to help me, costing the estate a considerable amount of money.
There were multiple boxes of papers that I had to go through, and as I went through each box, I wondered, “How much pleasure and satisfaction did Mary get from the money, property, and her other possessions? How much was society or the cause of God benefited?”
My late brother Marshall used to say, “We don’t really own anything in this world, we just use it until we die and then ownership goes to someone else.” In the resurrection, Mary will not own the real estate or monies she once did because at her death, they were all distributed to someone else. Paul wrote to Timothy, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” 1 Timothy 6:7
“Sad will be the retrospect in that day when men stand face to face with eternity. The whole life will present itself just as it has been. The world’s pleasures, riches, and honors will not then seem so important. Men will then see that the righteousness they despised is alone of value. …
“There will be no future probation in which to prepare for eternity. It is in this life that we are to put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness. This is our only opportunity to form characters for the home which Christ has made ready for those who obey His commandments.
“The days of our probation are fast closing. The end is near. To us the warning is given, ‘Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.’ Luke 21:34.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 318, 319
*Not her real name