Prepping for 50 Million
I once heard a preacher tell a story about someone who came up to him one day and said, "Hey, I just want to let you know that if I win the 50 Million Dollar lottery this week, I'm going to give you half of it to support your ministry." His reply to the man was along the lines of this, "Hey, thanks for the thought, but I tell you what, how much do you have in your wallet right now?" and the man said, "I've got about 50 bucks." The preacher nodded and said he'd let him off the hook for 25 million if he'd be happy to part with half of what he had in his wallet. But, of course, the man balked at the suggestion and did not give him 25 dollars. That’d be crazy!
It's difficult to imagine someone like that immediately parting with 25 million dollars if it fell onto their laps. But we make promises like this to ourselves all the time! I'll do this good thing when I'm rich. The reality is most of us wouldn't.
The story's point is that generosity is not a superpower that comes to you after being stuck by lightning or bitten by a radioactive spider. Of course, I'll always cheer someone who aspires to be generous, but if that hope is tied to achieving wealth, I'm not going to hold my breath.
Walk into any party in Canada, grab a mic, and sing, "If I had a million dollars," and the crowd will likely sing back, "If I had a million dollars!" We all know the tune. The song by the Barenaked Ladies is brilliant because it challenges us to live now rather than wait until we have the security of a million dollars. That song is brilliant!
Like many great things in life, Generosity is a characteristic that always starts small. You don't have to give 25 million dollars to a cause; you just have to start by sharing something.
Since I was a kid, I've always loved the story of Louis Pasteur, the famous french chemist known for many scientific breakthroughs that continue to benefit us to this day. He's known for the quote,
“In the fields of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind.”
In other words, those who prepare tend to succeed more often than those who don't.
I continue to challenge myself with the idea the most generous people are those with prepared hearts. There are incredible people today who continue to give money and time as a natural part of who they are. This character trait didn't happen overnight.
Don't wait to be a giving person later, do it now and make it a habit. Who knows? Maybe you'll win that 50 Million and use that money to save many lives and change the world. When that chance comes your way, I’ll be cheering you on. I’d love to see you do good with the blessings that come into your life. You don’t have to wait for that day to come though, look at what’s in your hand today and share it.
Friend, thank you for reading!