At
the age of 82, we’d never think this man was anyone special the way he limps in
and out of public transportation in a non-descript ‘shabby’ suit. There is nothing of note about his
appearance: he wears a $15 Casio watch, doesn’t own a
car, travels in economy, and buys less expensive wine. He abhors paying taxes, but not for the
reason we’d expect. His name is Chuck
Feeney and his net worth is 2 million dollars.
While that doesn’t sound like much in
this day and age, the only reason he has so little is because he gives most of
his earned money away (as secretly as possible though he is now outed)- to the
tune of 7.5 billion known so
far. Why doesn’t he keep more? (He’d probably say something like this) What for?
It does no good personally but has helped hundreds of thousands
worldwide. The reason he hates taxes is
because it leaves him less to give away!
If Chuck showed up at a public meeting
here, probably no one would recognize him or consider him to be wealthy and
philanthropic. In contrast, most famous
people today love to stand out in a crowd and ‘be seen’ as successful, powerful,
popular, smart, funny, etc. while they amass great quantities of money and
possessions- and look the part. We might
think that kings would be this way, but there was one historical king who stood
in the midst of the common folk.
And they came in and spoke to
Jehoshaphat, saying, A great multitude has come against you from beyond the sea
on this side of Syria… And Jehoshaphat feared and set
himself to seek Jehovah, and called for a fast throughout all Judah.
And Judah
gathered themselves to ask of Jehovah…
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah
and Jerusalem, in the house of
Jehovah, before the new court, 2Ch. 20:2-5
The king of Judah
stood in the midst of the congregation- not up on the stage, not in front of
them to make statements, but with
them to plead to the Lord. He reminds
the Lord of some of their history, and meekly admits they need help, “Nor do we
know what to do, but our eyes are on
You.” (v.12) Their eyes, his eyes are on
the Lord. The Lord speaks (through a
prophet) to say He will deliver Judah,
and then the king shows his humility again, “And Jehoshaphat bowed his face to
the ground. And all Judah and the people of Jerusalem
fell before Jehovah, worshiping Jehovah.” (v.18)
This king
bowed his body over and put his face, specifically his nose, on the ground. How many of us can say we do that, ever?
Jehoshaphat looked to God for help first and foremost. What I am trying to get at is that we
don’t need to be seen as successful,
powerful, etc, even ‘spiritual’, but we can- by our humility and submission
to the Lordship of Jesus Christ- lead others to worship Him as well. In that way, we can help others find
salvation through His blood and that will continue to grow exponentially, maybe
even to hundreds of thousands.
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory,
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better
than themselves.
Php. 2:3