Years ago, I was sitting in a bar on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles. A guy who worked for me had just inherited a big sum of money and a large amount of land. The only problem was he would have to move his family to Utah to get any of it.
As he and I sat at the bar, this guy was torn. He knew all the benefits that this inheritance meant for his kids and even for himself, but he also knew that it meant a total upheaval of the life they now had. He kept saying over and over the more he drank, “The money would take care of everything! The kids will be able to go to college and Lori and I will be able to live a comfortable life.” But as soon as these words were out of his mouth, he would shake his head and say, “But Utah? I don’t want to move my family to Utah. The kids love their school and we have a great house….” Then he would just stop and shake his head again. This went on for about an hour. Finally, he went silent and I thought I should say something.
So, I said, “Hey, Nate, if you don’t think you can handle this, sign it over to me. I need these kinds of problems! Yeah, a whole bunch of money and free land. Even if it is in Utah, I have lived there, it could be worse.” He looked at me as if he could not tell if I was being serious or not, maybe that last double whiskey was more than he could do. Then it dawned on him that I was just kidding, and he smiled and said, “Yeah, I guess I am being crazy about this, who is going to look a gift horse like this in the mouth, right?”
It seemed he had made his decision. From that point, all the drinks were on him. After all he was the rich guy and I was still just a working stiff and no longer his boss. About two weeks later he called me just before they were heading out-of-town. He sounded happy and I thought I would never hear from him again, but I did.
Almost a year later, as I was stuck in traffic on the 405, my car phone rang. At first, I could only hear breathing and a sort of mumbling. Once I rolled the window of my truck up, it sounded more like sobbing and distracted words. I had no time for this and was about to hang up, when he said my name, “John, it’s me Nate. You remember, I used to work for you?” I said, “Sure, my rich friend, the Utah land baron!” There was a sarcastic laugh on the other end and than in almost mournful tones he said, “Land baron, my (expletive), it was all a hoax or pretty much so. Land burdened with taxes, money that keeps being absorbed by lawyers. Lori and the kids want me to sell it all and head back home. Any chance I could get my job back?” What could I say but, “Yeah, sure buddy! I can find a spot on one of the crews. But are you sure you want to do this?” he laughed that same laugh and I could hear the bitterness, “I would rather shoot myself than spend anymore time in this mess. I should be back in town next month.” We talked some more, and I never heard from Nate again. Two months later I read in the newspaper that he had shot himself, as all the rich dreams crashed in around him.
I must admit, I was jealous when I first heard about Nate and his inheritance. I had always dreamed some day that would happen to me. I gambled knowing the big win was coming on the next roll of the dice. I stood in line for lottery tickets knowing one day I would hit the jackpot. It never happened but when I found out Nate had killed himself, I thought, what a waste. If it would have been me I would have found a way to make it all work. Money never goes to people who know what to do with it.
I have to laugh now. I really believed that. Me the guy who wasted thousands or maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars on bad living. I believed if I had just a little or even a whole lot more, I would have had it made. Yeah, right! I know now no matter how much I would have ever had without knowing God’s truth about money it would have ended in the same rat hole as all the rest.
Jesus looked around him, even in the poor society he chose to be born in and he saw how the rich got richer and well, the poor, yeah, got poorer. Yet He said this, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20) What? Wait a minute, surely you mean ‘poor in spirit’ as the book of Matthew quotes Jesus. But is there a difference? Poor or poor in spirit, Jesus also tells us, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) Jesus tells us money can be a problem.
I surely am not saying money is evil. But unless you and I understand that IT along with everything else is HIS, we will be serving IT instead of HIM. When we see, “every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” (Psalm 50:10) and understand our very lives belong to Him, then money becomes what God intended it to be, a means of service to others. Like all other things it is a matter of faith and trust. Can we believe the promise, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7) Trust God as out financial advisor.
I wish today I would have given Nate better advise or at the very least I would have tried to find out the fate of his widow and kids. Years later I did find out she had remarried, and the kids were ok. But at the time I only thought about the money and what I could have done with it. Today it is my prayer if you are struggling with or without the money you need that you will claim His promises. He knows your needs!
Blessings John
4/18/18
