Love to Hear You Speak

Give Fish, and Teach to Fish

When I read "Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day; Teach a Man to Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime" in Kingdom of God Magazine Issue 80, a good friend who works full-time in financial planning happened to remind me that since my only son had reached adulthood, I needed to update the revocable trust I'd set up long ago. Reading this article at just the right time prompted me to think: What kind of legacy truly pleases the Lord?

When I was young and went shopping with my mom, she always haggled over prices; but when it came to my brother's and my needs, she never hesitated. Even in old age, she constantly calculated how much money she could leave for her children. I'm grateful for the "fish" my parents gave me, and I deeply miss their love.

Once before an overseas trip, I jokingly told my son I was going to spend his inheritance, but he responded irritably: "Don't! I'd rather have you here—go ahead and spend it!" Those words struck a chord deep in my heart—they were exactly what I most wanted to say to my own parents.

I'm grateful that during my son's upbringing, I worked hard to "have fish"—enough to provide for his needs—and also did my best to cultivate his ability to "fish," helping him become someone who contributes his talents and abilities. I hope that even in this rapidly changing era, he will respect his identity in the Lord's love, possess the wisdom to discern what's valuable, and have the courage to bear the consequences of his choices.

As I update my trust, I'll reference the suggestions in this article and consider setting up conditions for phased distributions or establishing a charitable trust. I hope my son will inherit the faith, be a good steward of the assets God has given, and glorify God while benefiting others. (Wei Xin, Michigan, USA)

Live and Learn

Through my work as a medical interpreter over video or phone, I've encountered quite a few elderly people. To be honest, many of them are plagued by illnesses, and some are even slowly losing their cognitive function due to dementia or Alzheimer's. Because of their deteriorating health, they suffer themselves and also become a burden on their families.

This has made me, now 45 years old, start thinking: What kind of life do I want in my later years? Through reading "Can You Still Make It When You're Old?" in Issue 80 of your magazine, I've come to realize that the key to having a healthy and fulfilling life in old age is—a change in mindset! Don't feel like you can't keep up just because you're getting older; instead, keep working hard to learn.

Of course, knowing is easier than doing. But I will continue to pray and ask the Lord to help me live and learn for as long as I live! (Timothy, Taipei, Taiwan)