I received an e-mail from a lady who recently heard me speak who mentioned that with so many people down on their luck and hurting she had been feeling almost ashamed of the blessings God had bestowed upon her. She went on to mention that she read my book, but started reading in the middle because she’d experienced dark times in her own life and didn’t want to rekindle bad memories. I also noticed on her e-mail signature that she owned her own company and she went on to say that she was happy to be able to be in a position to assist those who are less fortunate.
So this entrepreneur fought her way through dark times, built a thriving business, loves the Lord, and is giving back. There’s nothing to be guilty about there sweetheart. In fact she should be very pleased with her accomplishments. I’m sure her Father in heaven is well pleased and more than delighted to bless her effort and see her succeed mightily.
It is unfortunate that our politically motivated President tries so hard to portray all wealthy people as a bunch of “greedy millionaires and billionaires” getting rich at the expense of “working people”. Since he’s never had a job himself or met a payroll, perhaps he doesn’t understand how hard all of us wealthy capitalist pigs work. It’s 1 a.m. and I’ve already begun my workday and I won’t knock off until sometime this evening around 6 p.m. I’d say I fit into the “working people” category.
Perhaps too he doesn’t understand how many wealthy people give millions upon billions of dollars away to charitable endeavors. I don’t work long difficult hours to get richer. I’m already financially secure, but if I make more money, I have more to donate to worthy causes and I can provide even more jobs for many families.
What many people do not understand about having wealth is that it is a royal pain in the neck. I get multiple requests for money for everything imaginable every single day of my life. Some are legitimate, but it seems that more are simply lazy people trying to pretend to be friends with me in order to con me into giving them something, (or to position themselves whereby they can outright steal it).
Without question God needs wealthy people to spread the Gospel. I have discovered that even if I worked 24 hours per day there will never be enough money in the world to address all of the needs in this world. In just the last couple of days our Williamson Family Foundation financed giving hundreds of my book Miracle on Luckie Street and Bibles to different entities with solid ministries; it bought some badly needed music equipment for a church; and contributed sorely needed cash to several dynamic ministries that will put it to good use spreading the Gospel.
The money in the foundation only covers a minute fraction of the requests, not to mention the mind boggling financial needs of my own ministry including the Honey Lake Plantation Youth Camp. It’s never enough and all we can do is try to be a good steward of whatever the Lord chooses to bless us with and help those who seem to be able to put it to the best use.
As frustrating as it might seem with people coming at you from every angle all of the time, the blessings of giving far outweigh the curses of having wealth and in the end it is worthwhile. We endure pain but ultimately see the gain.
It’s not in God’s plan for everyone to be wealthy and doling out money to His causes. The body of Christ needs all kinds of non-financial contributors to help spread the Gospel, even to include those pest fundraisers who drive people batty with their incessant requests for funds; God needs organizers, missionaries, Sunday school teachers, cooks, ushers at churches, bus drivers, lawn maintenance men, teachers, athletes, and a myriad of other workers.
I spent some time on organizational matters concerning my own Honey Lake Plantation Christian Youth Camp ministry yesterday and identified needs of every imaginable description including counselors, cooks, cleaning people, construction workers, and yes I will need to solicit funds from others too. Yikes I need my own fundraiser – How ironic!
Yesterday afternoon I took time off to go to yet another prison to offer my testimony. (I’m spending so many days inside prisons lately I will already have enough days served that I can commit a crime for free). I’d been invited there by a Hispanic minister friend of mine who has a prison ministry for mainly Spanish speaking inmates. As I began to speak I would say a sentence or two and my friend would repeat it in Spanish. We forged our way through my testimony speaking and translating and at the end we conducted an alter call and four men came forward and accepted Christ as their Savior.
My friend is not rich in material wealth, but yesterday he became wealthier than King Solomon in all his glory as he stood before those men leading them in the sinner’s prayer. What a blessing from God to see these hardened men standing before that pulpit with tears streaming down their faces unashamedly giving their hearts to Jesus Christ and asking to be forgiven of their sins where they can spend eternity in paradise with Jesus Christ. They wouldn’t have had that opportunity if it had not been for my friend caring enough to organize this ministry and donate his time to reach these wretches who have broken societies’ laws and are now reviled because of it.
What I’m clumsily trying to say this morning is that we can all give to the Lord and enjoy immense blessings from it. If you have money, great! Give some of it to the Lord’s work and enjoy your blessings. That’s probably why God gave it to you in the first place. But for those of you who don’t have money, be advised that you don’t need a million dollar bank account to be rich beyond imagination. It just takes investing a little time. My pastor friend stays busier than an ant gathering food for the winter with his various ministries and yet he “made” even more time for the Lord yesterday and gave back utilizing his Spanish translation skills and other resources that He has been so generously provided and reaped his blessing that will last forever.
What will you do today?
Matt. 25:36
“Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”