It Starts with You
By Randy Gage
In Friday’s post I promised we would revisit the issue of Mother Theresa, Gandhi and other people who didn’t possess a lot of material things. And who’s going to save the rainforest of course. So let’s look at that.
You’ll remember the argument I had with the CEO about the rainforests. He said that he thought teachers and nurses would save them. I thought he was delusional. Of course they can’t save the rainforest because they’re too preoccupied trying to pay down their credit card debt.
I talked about progress and innovation, and how only free enterprise allows these developments to happen. But there is another side as well.
I want to save the rainforests too. But the difference is, I’m actually doing something about it. I send money to organizations that actually buy the rainforests and then deed them to foundations. I can do that because I make enough money to meet my own needs, and then some more.
If you want to help anyone with just about anything, you need to make more money than you need to meet your basic needs. And the more extra you make, the better.
Do you think you’re saving the world, driving your eight-year-old Ford Escort? Do you think you’re serving God by renting a run down apartment instead of owning a beautiful home in Hawaii? Do you think you’re more spiritual, because you’re maxed out on your credit cards? Get back to reality.
It isn’t a sin to be born poor – but it sure is a sin to stay that way.
How much could Mother Theresa have helped people if she simply took in enough to meet her needs? How much good could Gandhi have done if he had to stop his mission each day to go to work at the Curry King drive through window?
Mother Theresa was able to do accomplish her mission because she had many rich people sending her money each month. Likewise with Gandhi and others like them. If they sat home, huddling in a hovel, thinking they were spiritual by denying themselves nothing but subsistence, the world would have been much poorer indeed.
So are you ready to save the world? You can start by becoming prosperous yourself.
-RG














