Read It, Learn It,
Live It, Share It
“I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,
but have not love, I gain nothing” - 1
Corinthians 13:3
His wealth was talked about in every country around the
globe. He had made a name for himself through his innovation and ability
to pursue the right business model at the right time and deliver exactly what
the customer wanted at the right time. The burdens that come with wealth
are significant in the eyes of the beholder. Taxes of course are one of
those, and the realization that the legacy that is potentially left behind can
cause enormous stress and complications for the recipients. In 2008, Bill
Gates, former CEO of Microsoft, made the public statement that he and his wife,
Melinda, would be giving all of their $58 billion to charity rather than
leaving it to their children.
In a June 2008 interview Bill was quoted, “We've chosen not to pass it on to our children. We want to give it back to society in the way that it will have the most positive impact.” It is a wonderful thing that the Gates family has chosen to do this, and many will benefit as a result. But, they are not alone in the area of philanthropic billionaires; Warren Buffet, Stewart Rahr, George Soros and Ted Turner just to name a few. All have been known to give away billions to help the impoverished, the hungry, the homeless and the ailing.
Mother Teresa gave everything she had for 49 years to help, in her words, “ the hungry, the helpless, the naked, the crippled, the blind, the lepers and those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society “. Drawn to this service from a calling from the Lord, she quotes, "I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. It was an order. To fail would have been to break the faith." Extending beyond her death; her missions, schools and shelters have spread across 120 countries, continuing to relieve the pain and suffering of people around the globe.
We look to the Lord’s word and discover that serving and suffering without love is worthless in the Kingdom of God. Without a doubt, there are benefits to those receiving such charity that can be life changing. But, charity founded in the love of the Lord though has the ability to change a person’s life for eternity. The risk of charity without love is self promotion and gratification. We are bombarded with examples of entertainers and celebrities hosting charity telethons and then leveraging that work in their own publicity. Paul reminds us of this in 1 Corinthians 13:3. God’s love is a quiet, selfless love that seeks out the needy and the helpless to pour out the charity upon them in a way that is representative of His Kingdom. We are all called to serve and to love one another as Jesus loved us with humility and grace. Seek those opportunities to change the world for Him, and like Mother Teresa, He will see to it that your work is your legacy.
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment