SCRIPTURE: John 5:19 (TM)
So Jesus explained
himself at length. "I'm telling you this straight. The Son can't
independently do a thing, only what he sees the Father doing. What the Father
does, the Son does.
STORY:
A popular story
recounts a meeting that may have taken place at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in
Chicago in 1923. There is debate whether the meeting in fact occurred, but what
is not in question is the actual rise and fall of the men featured in the
story, who were nine of the richest men in the world at that time: (1) Charles
Schwab, President of the world’s largest independent steel company; (2) Samuel
Insull, President of the world’s largest utility company; (3) Howard Hopson,
President of the largest gas firm; (4) Arthur Cutten, the greatest wheat
speculator; (5) Richard Whitney, President of the New York Stock Exchange; (6)
Albert Fall, member of the President’s Cabinet; (7) Leon Frazier, President of
the Bank of International Settlements; (8) Jessie Livermore, the greatest
speculator in the Stock Market; and (9) Ivar Kreuger, head of the company with
the most widely distributed securities in the world.
What happened to
these powerful and rich men twenty-five years later? (1) Charles Schwab had
died in bankruptcy, having lived on borrowed money for five years before his
death. (2) Samuel Insull had died virtually penniless after spending some time
as a fugitive from justice. (3) Howard Hopson became insane. (4) Arthur Cutten
died overseas, broke. (5) Richard Whitney had spent time in a mental asylum.
(6) Albert Fall was released from prison so he could die at home. (7) Leon
Fraizer, (8) Jessie Livermore, and (9) Ivar Kreuger each died by suicide.
Measured by
wealth and power these men achieved success, at least temporarily. But it did
not surely guarantee them a truly successful life.
OBSERVATION:
Convergence of two “major” events has taken place in the
last couple of days. The nation’s largest lottery jackpot (590 Million) was won
by a single ticket holder and devastating tornados ripped through the
midsection of our country … lives, young lives, were lost.
Both caused the nation … and probably the world … to stop
and take notice. Our hearts go out to those involved in both stories. On one
hand we are thinking, “Wish it was me” and in the other situation we say, “Glad
it wasn’t me.”
In both cases our prayers go out to those involved. On one
hand we pray that the person or people who won the jackpot have the wisdom to
handle their new fortune wisely and that they remember a charity or two or
three along the way. In the other situation we pray for peace and comfort,
especially for those who lost a child in the storm.
The jackpot winner is probably thinking that they really don’t
need anyone any longer … they are independently wealthy (and they are), but are
the really independent? As the storm victims are realizing – no one lives this
life independent of others. Not even Jesus considered himself independent of
the Father. That alone should cause us pause.
And so, how do we measure success? By wealth or by realizing
that we really do need each other?
PRAYER:
Create in us a clean heart, a caring spirit, a giving grace.
May we embrace those around us this day with a thankful heart.
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