The money vein runs right through the heart

by | Aug 30, 2011 | Dr. Bob Hatcher, Newsletter

The money vein runs right through the heart

Bob Hatcher

August 29, 2011 

The money vein runs right through the heart. Here are several examples of generosity that will bring a smile to your face:

  1. The Duke students who, at their own expense, headed south on spring break after the Katrina hurricane.
  2. The joy people receive by giving money, time or love to what they consider important. You know those people.  They are not always the well-to-do.  They may be of very modest means and have very little savings. But joy comes to them from sharing what they have been blessed with.
  3. The billionaires who have made a remarkable pledge. The GIVING Pledge calls upon each of these billionaires to give away more than half of their money while they are still alive. Bill and Melinda Gates, Ted Turner, Warren Buffet, and Mark Zukerberg (Facebook and the movie, Social Network) have all made The GIVING Pledge. They have been joined by 40 other billionaires.
  4. The generous southern Mississippi woman who spent her life working as a maid. Toward the end of her life she gave more than $100,000 to University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. During her entire lifetime she lived herself in a small house with no air conditioning.
  5. Stephen Hall’s discretionary fund at the St. James Episcopal Church that has supported so many worthwhile efforts as do the discretionary funds of other ministers, priests and rabbis across the land.
  6. The high percentage of contributions for many, many good works that come from contributions of $25 or less
  7. The stewardship committee of a large Atlanta church, St Anne’s Episcopal Church, that suggested one year this phase to help members of the congregation decide how much to give: “Give until it feels good.” I love it.  This is a great way for us to decide how much to give away.

But sometimes the money vein runs through the heart with very negative results. Money can place a temptation in front of us that is difficult to say no to. Money can lead people to cheat friends at golf or in card games, to steal, to kill, to write fictitious stories in order to sell books, or to marry someone for reasons of greed rather than love.

So many are there ways money can lead us astray that there is sometimes the temptation to consider money the root of all evil.  Obviously this is wrong.  Money certainly can be a bad influence on us at times. But “all evil?” Definitely NOT! There is always sex and power to consider!  Each of these can lead people down equally destructive and harmful pathways. 

So, I don’t know about you, I’m going to try to keep on giving until it feels good.