Rich To Give Away Half Of Their Wealth?

According to “The Giving Pledge” it was announced last week that 40 of the world’s billionaires agreed to give away approximately half of their individual wealth. In America, Bill Gates of Microsoft fame and Warren Buffet have led the charge to convince others in their extreme financial stratosphere to do likewise. At this point in time, the pledges are only moral commitments to give, not a legal contract, and do not involve supporting a particular set of causes or organizations.

At present, more than three dozen of America's wealthiest individuals and families have joined Gates and Buffett in agreeing to give away at least half their fortunes to philanthropic causes and charitable organizations of their choice, either during their lifetime, or after their death. According to Forbes magazine 400 list of richest Americans, half their net worth would amount to $600 billion. The United States has roughly 400 billionaires which amounts to about 40 percent of the world's total.

If and when any or all of these wealthy individuals give parts of their personal fortunes away, they are to be highly commended. There will be many whose suffering will be relieved and whose lives may know times of joy that may not otherwise come – at least in this life.

But the Bible is simply filled with references to the attitude about and uses of money, both in the positive and negative contexts. Perhaps the most well-known warning verse on the subject is presented by Paul to Timothy in his first letter to his young pastor-son in the faith. In 1 Timothy 6:9-10 he records, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. “

Then too, a warning was offered by Jesus Himself in a parable found in Luke 12:16-21, where He spoke about those who feel secure in life due to their more than adequate resources. Verse 16 begins, “Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?"

Also, there was the famous encounter in Mark chapter ten known as simply the story of the “Rich Young Ruler”. This man came to Jesus seeking true salvation - at least it looked that way on the surface. Tragically, he left empty-handed spiritually because he was unable to comply with the Savior’s request – namely to give away all of his sizable earthly fortune to the poor and to then faithfully follow the Lord. (Luke 10:17-22)

But then there is also the sobering and humbling New Testament biblical record of a woman who fell at the extreme opposite end of the economic spectrum. Her story is found in Luke chapter twenty-one. The chapter begins with the assessment of the motives and value of a poor widow to the work of God. The apostle writes in verse one, “Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

Bill Gates and others who have become motivated to give huge sums of their personal wealth to others are to be highly commended, regardless of their motives. If others would follow suit, much of the world's physical suffering could be eased even through the sheer excess of such materially blessed people. The limits and reasons for what they do may remain highly personal.

Perhaps part of it is because they, too, are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-17) and thus have experienced the simple joy of helping others in need. Not only is this felt by anyone who does so, but beyond that, it is a command for anyone who knows Christ as Savior. Paul spelled out clearly this principle, and even the personal benefits, in Galatians 6:9-10. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

But even the thrill and benefit of doing good for others materially speaking, will never compare on any level to the giving away of one’s personal faith. Jesus revealed the difference between physical and spiritual well-being when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness just before He began His public ministry. In Luke 4:4 He offered up His biblically-based defensive and offensive words to His arch enemy stating, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'"

In 1 Peter 3:15 the apostle referred to the absolute crucial nature of giving away the faith wherever and whenever the opportunity presents itself. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

There remains a somewhat hidden top priority of those with the staggering resources to keep scores of precious souls physically well and even alive. It is simply so that those already in the family of God through saving faith in Christ might have additional opportunities to reach these with eternally crucial truth as seen in Jesus’ own words in John 6:35-36 and in verses 47-48.

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life”

Bill Breckenridge