What does less than 1 billion dollars get you today? I learned that if you have less than a billion, you would find yourself outside looking in on Forbes magazine’s 400 richest people in America. Yes, it’s true. You just don’t measure up if you can’t muster more than a billion. This year the people who made the rankings are worth $1.54 trillion, compared with $1.25 trillion last year. According to cable television mogul Ted Turner, “There is a pride about being on the list. People that are on it look to see where they are and if they have moved up from last year.” Who’s on top you might ask? The top two richest continue to be Microsoft’s Bill Gates (59 billion) and Berkshire-Hathaway’s Warren Buffett (52 billion).
Did you check to see if your name appeared on the list? Probably not! Actually, I only read about the list at an online news service. I could care less who made the list of the richest people in America. The question would be how is that helping them with their faith? The Bible says in Matthew 9:23, “it is harder for a rich man to get into heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.” So, how is all that money going to help them in the long run? Most live extravagant lives, but others are helping charity. A month or so back I saw a special on ABC News with John Stossel. Who gives the greatest percentage of their wealth to charity? The working class people actually give more of what they make. That may be a surprise, but even though both Gates and Buffett gives millions of dollars in philanthropic efforts, their percentage is actually less than many of you who give to United Way at work and your church on Sunday’s.
Now you know what it means to be wealthy, but do you know what it means to be rich? Being rich isn’t about one thin dime. Being rich is about living a life of joy… no matter what your circumstances. It is full of good works and a thankful heart. Being rich means having many friends. Being rich means living a life that has perspective on God and other people. The following story helps to illustrate my point.
One day ... a wealthy family man took his son on a trip to the country, so he could have his son see how poor country people live. They stayed one day and one night in the home of a very humble farmer. At the end of the trip, and when they were back home, the father asked his son, “What did you think of the trip?" The son replied, “Very nice dad.” Then the father asked his son, “Did you notice how poor they were?” The son replied, “Yes.” The father continued asking, “What did you learn?” The son responded, "I learned that we have one dog in our house, and they have four. Also, we have a fountain in our garden, but they have a stream that has no end. And we have imported lamps in our garden ... where they have the stars! And our garden goes to the edge of our property. But they have the entire horizon as their back yard! At the end of the son's reply the father was speechless. His son then said, “Thank you dad for showing me how poor we really are.”
You see you are rich if you have Jesus Christ in you life and call Him “Lord.” For your life is a testament to the love of Jesus and as Matthew 6 says, “your treasure will be in heaven.” That’s the only list of wealth any of us need to worry about having our name on!
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