4 Lessons Learned from a Talking Donkey

In the Old Testament we find the story of Balaam, his donkey and the angel of the Lord. “Balaam was riding his donkey to Moab, and two of his servants were with him. But God was angry that Balaam had gone, so one of the LORD’s angels stood in the road to stop him. When Balaam's donkey saw the angel standing there with a sword, it walked off the road and into an open field. Balaam had to beat the donkey to get it back on the road. Then the angel stood between two vineyards, in a narrow path with a stone wall on each side. When the donkey saw the angel, it walked so close to one of the walls that Balaam's foot scraped against the wall. Balaam beat the donkey again. The angel moved once more and stood in a spot so narrow that there was no room for the donkey to go around. So it just lay down. Balaam lost his temper, then picked up a stick and smacked the donkey.
When that happened, the LORD told the donkey to speak, and it asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that made you beat me three times?”
“You made me look stupid!" Balaam answered. “If I had a sword, I'd kill you here and now!”
“But you’re my owner,” replied the donkey, “and you've ridden me many times. Have I ever done anything like this before?”
“No,” Balaam admitted.
Just then, the LORD let Balaam see the angel standing in the road, holding a sword, and Balaam bowed down.
The angel said, “You had no right to treat your donkey like that! I was the one who blocked your way, because I don’t think you should go to Moab. If your donkey had not seen me and stopped those three times, I would have killed you and let the donkey live.”
Balaam replied, “I was wrong. I didn't know you were trying to stop me. If you don't think I should go, I'll return home right now.” (Numbers 22:22-34, Contemporary English Version)

There are four extremely valuable lessons we can learn from this story

Lesson 1: You must learn to effectively receive criticism and correction.

The Bible states, “You can trust a friend who corrects you, but kisses from an enemy are nothing but lies. (Proverbs 27:6, Contemporary English Version) A true friend will tell us when we are off course or need correction even though it is not what we want to hear. Their love and concern for our well-being will supercede the natural desire to avoid the conflict or ignore the issue. As states the Sicilian Proverb, “Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty.”

The Lord will correct us when we get off course. The apostle Paul wrote, “. . . God disciplines us for our good . . .” (Hebrews 12:10, New International Version) “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves. . .” (Hebrews 12:6, English Standard Version) Discipline and correction help us get back on track when we have strayed. The quicker we can recognize we are wrong the more quickly we can get on the right path. A Wal-Mart executive said of Sam Walton, “He is less afraid of being wrong than anyone I’ve ever known. And once he sees he’s wrong, he just shakes it off and heads in another direction.”

These proverbs can help us remember Lesson 1:
“Despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction.”
-Proverbs 3:11, King James Version

“Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.”
-Proverbs 15:10, New International Version

“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”
- Proverbs 19:20, New International Version

Lesson 2: Some things that you believe are bad and harmful to you are actually for your good.

When bad things occur in our life, there is a natural tenancy to get upset and metaphorically hit a donkey. However, our challenges and struggles enable us to learn and grow. If our afflictions could speak to us as did Balaam’s donkey they may have a similar message saying, “Why are you getting mad at me, I am just trying to help you.” We must learn that all of our afflictions will work together for our good.

Since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, the earth has been filled with thorns and weeds. The Lord spoke to Adam saying, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food.” (Genesis 3:19, New International Version) Is the fact that the earth is filled with weeds and requires hard work to sustain our lives a bad thing? Would life be better if there were no adversity, pain, or opposition? The Lord created a world of opposition for our benefit. He told Adam, “Cursed is the ground for thy sake.” (Genesis 3:17, King James Version) Life was not designed to be an existence of endless bliss. Life was designed to create greatness in each of us. Trials and afflictions are for our good. 2 Corinthians 8: 2 reads, “A great trial of affliction . . . [will] abound unto . . . riches.” 1 Peter 1:7 reads, “Trial of your faith [is] much more precious than gold.” Peter teaches us to rejoice in our trials saying, “Think it not strange concerning the fiery trail . . . but rejoice.” (1 Peter 4:12-13, King James Version)

The prophet Isaiah teaches that adversity and affliction are good for the growth of our spirit like bread and water are good for the growth of the body saying, “The Lord give[s] you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction.” (Isaiah 30:20, King James Version)

We are all familiar with growing pains. Growth is a source of pain, but it is good pain. Sometimes the best people experience great pain because they are ready to learn and grow. The Savior teaches in the parable of the vine, “. . . every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2, New King James Version) Pruning is the process of cutting off branches. Someone unfamiliar with the pruning process may think that the person pruning the vine is trying to punish, destroy, or kill the tree. While pruning does cause pain, its purpose is not to injure, harm, or punish. On the contrary, the pruning process will eventually lead to a higher level of production. For after much tribulation, cometh the blessing.

Parable of the Renovated House
“Image yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace.” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996) p. 176) Jesus is the master carpenter and he wants to build us into something great. As taught the apostle Paul, “God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished . . .” (Philippians 1:6, New Century Version)

“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I [the Lord] have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, King James Version)

Lesson 3: You can learn something from every person you meet—even a jackass.

There is something we can learn from each person we meet. Each person has unique insights and experiences we can draw upon. We should approach others with an open mind and a willingness to be taught. We should look for the good in others and everyone is doing something good we can learn from.

During the French and Indian War, the British General Edward Braddock, age 60 at the time, employed the help of a Virginia militia. One of the young 23-year old Virginia soldiers who was well acquainted with the Indian mode of warfare, modestly offered his advice, the haughty Braddock said, "What! An American buskin teach a British general how to fight!" (B.J Losing, Signers of the Declaration of Independence, (New York: George F. Colledge & Brother, 1848) p. 167) Braddock did not heed the advice and the British suffered a disastrous defeat and General Braddock was wounded by a shot through the right arm and into his lung. Following the injury to General Braddock, George Washington, with no official position in the chain of command, was able to lead and maintain some order and formed a rear guard, which allowed them to evacuate and eventually disengage. This earned him the title of “Hero of the Monongahela.” General Braddock was carried off the field by George Washington, the soldier whose advice he had rejected. Braddock died on July 13, 1755, four days after the battle. Before he died, Braddock left Washington the blood stained sash of his uniform. Washington carried the sash with him for the remainder of his life. Perhaps he carried the sash as a reminder of the cost of pride and of the necessary of being humble and teachable if he was to be successful in his efforts. Had Braddock listened to the advice of young George Washington his life may have been saved.

Lesson 4: If the path you are on is blocked, the Lord may want you to go in a different direction.

My first business venture failed, leaving me with thousands of dollars in business debt. I was newly married and I had no income. My wife was working earning $10 per hour but her income was not even enough to cover our $1,800 a month in debt payments. I now joke with her that she married me for my money, but the truth is she was my sugar mama. I was forced to put my entrepreneurial efforts on hold for a season and look for a job. I graduated with honors from business school and applied for dozens of jobs that were a good match for my skills, experience and degree, but I received rejection letter after rejection letter. I even apply at a call center that seemed to hire nearly everyone for a $6 per hour job and was rejected.

I now joke with people saying, “I had to start a business because I was the only person who would hire me.” I prayed to the Lord for help finding a job but got the answer that the Lord did not want me to get a job. I was supposed to start a business. This did seem to make any sense at this point in my life and did not seem like a possible option. I followed a prompting to start a lecture series at the university, which my wife supported even though it didn’t seem to make any sense since it would take a significant amount of my time and would provide no income. Acting in faith, we built the lecture series, which I and guests I invited in taught. Following one of the lectures by an invited guest, I was leaving the building about 1 ½ after the lecture had ended (I stayed to talk with the students and answer questions), when the guest lecturer pulled up outside the building. He rolled down his window and said, “The Spirit told me I needed to come back to talk to you.” We set up a time to meet. We began the meeting with prayer but were not sure exactly why we were meeting. He laid out the projects he was working on and ideas he wanted to pursue. I laid out my talents and experience and the project I was working on and wanted to pursue. We eventually came to a business idea that felt like the right way. We partnered on the new venture, with him putting up all the money and me putting up the time to build and manage the company. The company did over $1 million dollars in revenue the second year in business and over $10 million in the fifth year of business. What had seemed impossible became a reality through Christ. The Lord had blocked the job path because there was another path I was to take.

Conclusion
Long before Shrek had his run in with a talking donkey, Balaam had his life saved by one. If you apply the four lessons discussed above, you too will have a story to share about the time your life was saved by a jackass.

Becoming a Good Receiver

In Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan helped a man who was robbed of his money and clothes and left half dead. The Samaritan bound his wounds, cared for him, and took him to an inn. The Samaritan also paid the host two pence to take care of the injured man and agreed to repay the host if the cost was higher. (Luke 10:30–35) The Samaritan had to first receive financial means before he could give of his means to care for the robbed and injured man. It can be understood, then, that to be good givers, we must also be good receivers.

What makes someone a poor receiver? One of the factors is a belief in the myth “I am not worthy or deserving of prosperity.” A belief in this myth prevents us from achieving our full financial potential. God is the ultimate giver. He wants to give us the gifts of prosperity and abundance. Our role is to learn to be a good receiver and accept God’s gifts. Many who do not feel worthy or deserving of financial abundance reject God’s gifts. What good is a gift if it is not received? A rejected gift hurts both the giver and the receiver because the receiver gives up the joy of the gift and the giver is denied the joy and blessings of giving the gift.

Don’t Rob Me of My Blessings
While serving in a missionary ministry in Hawaii, I associated with many wonderful Christians. The Polynesians regarded representatives of Christ with the same respect and honor as they did their chiefs. As I preached the gospel, people of all denominations would impart to us of their time, food, possessions, and money in support of the Lord’s work. They knew the Lord would bless them for their sacrifices.

On one particular occasion, when I was walking along the Kamehameha Highway, a car pulled up right along side me. As we were both in motion, a man rolled down his window and handed me a $20 bill. At first I didn’t realize what he was handing me but when I found that it was money I kindly refused and tried to return it. As I ran after the car the man said, “Don’t rob me of my blessings.” He sped away leaving me with a $20 bill I felt I shouldn’t have. Receiving gifts and money became a regular occurrence. Being new to Hawaii and not fully understanding the culture, I tried to refuse gifts and money that were constantly offered me. I quickly learned not to do this. Each time I tried to refuse the gifts, the giver would get upset and say, “Don't rob me of my blessings!” I learned that by humbly accepting gifts I could, in turn, faithfully promise the giver that they would be blessed for their sacrifice.

The Polynesians believed that the more a representative of Christ ate the more blessings they would receive. Joe, a 300-pound Tongan, took me out to eat and I ate until I couldn’t eat another bite. After we finished, Joe went to the cashier to pay for the meals. As Joe began to pay, the cashier said, “Sir, someone has already paid for the meals.” Joe looked around the restaurant and called out loudly, “Who robbed me of my blessings?” The restaurant went quiet. Joe was disappointed that he had not been able to pay for the meals and thus was robbed of his blessings. In an attempt to still receive blessing for feeding a representative of Christ, he told the cashier that we were going to eat again and this time not to let anyone else pay for the meals. This experience taught me not only to be a good receiver, but also to be a big eater.

Let Freedom Ring!

On March 23, 1775, there were some in the House that thought it better to have peace then fight for freedom. The House was leaning toward not committing troops against the encroaching British military forces. Patrick Henry rose to speak and said in part: “If we wish to be free . . . we must fight! . . . Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (Orations of American Orators, (New York: Colonial Press, 1900) p. 59) The crowd jumped up and shouted “To Arms! To Arms!” Patrick Henry was one of the influential advocates of the American Revolution.

On the 4th of July in 1776 the Congress assembled in Independence Hall in Philadelphia to decide whether or not to officially accept the Declaration of Independence which reads in part:

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

As the congress was assembled, an elderly bell-man ascended to the steeple, and a little boy was placed at the door of the Hall to give him notice when the vote should be concluded. The old man waited long at his post and had his doubts saying, “They will never do it. They will never do it.”

The signing of The Declaration of Independence was a solemn act, and required great firmness and patriotism. It was treason against the government of Great Britain—an offense that was publishable by death.

At the signing, Benjamin Franklin is quoted as having replied to a comment by John Hancock that they must all hang together saying, “Yes, we must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately,” (Jared Sparks, The Life of Benjamin Franklin, (Boston: Whittemore, Niles and Hall) p. 408) This play on words suggested that if they failed to stay united and win the revolution, they would surely each be tried and executed, individually, for treason.

By unanimous vote the declaration was adopted and the blue-eyed boy outside the door began clapping his hands and shouted to the bell man above, “Ring! Ring!” The elderly bell man hurled the iron tongue of the bell back and forth one hundred times, proclaiming, “Liberty to the land and to the inhabitants thereof.” (B.J Losing, Signers of the Declaration of Independence, (New York: George F. Colledge & Brother, 1848)

The Declaration of Independence was official but the fight for freedom was just beginning. The Revolutionary War continued on for seven years. On August 8, 1776, General George Washington wrote the soldiers saying, “Allow me, therefore, to address you as fellow citizens and fellow soldiers engaged in the same glorious cause . . . there can be no doubt, that success will crown our efforts, if we firmly and resolutely determine to conquer or to die. . . We must now determine to be enslaved or free. If we make freedom our choice, we must obtain it by the blessing of Heaven on our united and vigorous efforts. I salute you, Gentlemen, most affectionately, and beg leave to remind you, that liberty, honor and safety are all at stake; and I trust Providence will smile upon our efforts, and establish us once more, the inhabitants of a free and happy country. I am, Gentlemen, your humble servant.” (Jared Sparks, The Writings of George Washington, Volume IV, (Boston: Ferdinand Andrews, 1838) p. 37-38)

The last major battle of the Revolutionary War was the Battle of Yorktown when the American and French forces achieved a large and decisive victory over the British, capturing over 7,000 of the British troops and forcing an unconditional surrender by General Lord Cornwallis on October 17, 1781. During the surrender, the British drummers played the march, “The Day the World Turned Upside Down.” The surrender of Cornwallis’s army prompted the British government to eventually negotiate an end to the conflict. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris officially ended the Revolutionary War.

There were 217,000 American service members that fought during the eight year Revolutionary War. They suffered much sickness, privations, hardships and death, but their courage, desire for freedom, and reliance on the Almighty led them to an eventual victory. There were 4,435 that gave their life in battle and an additional 6,188 were wounding during the battles of the war. (United States Department of Veteran Affairs, Retrieved June 30, 2008 from http://www1.va.gov/opa/fact/amwars.asp)

With the 4th of July coming this Friday, I felt it an appropriate message this week to reflect on the lives of those who gave their all to secure the freedoms we now enjoy. Before you light off your fireworks on the evening of the 4th of July, may I suggest you have a moment of silence to honor the lives of those who fought to secure America’s independence and say a prayer of thanks to God for sending such men to secure the freedoms we enjoy.

On the fiftieth anniversary of The Declaration of Independence, two of the Founding Fathers who assisted in the drafting of the Declaration and served as Presidents of the United States passed away. In the spring of 1826, Thomas Jefferson’s health rapidly declined confining him to his bed. On the 3rd of July, he inquired the day of the month. On being told he expressed a fervent desire to live until the next day, to breathe the air of the fiftieth anniversary of his country’s independence. On the morning of the 4th after having expressed gratitude to his friends and servants for their care, he said in a distinct voice, “I resign myself to my God, and my child to my country.” At nearly the same hour John Adams passed away and the last words he uttered were, “Independence for ever!” (B.J Losing, Signers of the Declaration of Independence, (New York: George F. Colledge & Brother, 1848)

May we each this 4th of July, 2008, the 232nd anniversary of The Declaration of Independence, pledge our lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the work of freedom and declare the final words of John Adams, “Independence for ever!” If our freedom is to be preserved, the great men and women of this nation must again unite and work and fight for freedom as did our inspired founders.

May God’s blessings be upon you and the United States of America.

Leading By Example

Every moment of life we are each changing to a degree the world around us through our personal influence. We are either making the world more or less of a heavenly place.

We have all heard the phrase, “do what I say, not what I do.” This message has no power to influence others. If we do not do what we say, what we say has no power to motivate or impact others positively. In fact, we will have a negative effect. If we tell people to do things that we do not do ourselves, we become hypocrites and lose the confidence and trust of those whom we seek to lead. What we say is a method of influence, but it is only effective when it is aligned with what we do and who we are.

Sermons We See, by Edgar Albert Guest:
I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I’d rather one should walk with men than merely tell the way.
The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing, but example is always clear;
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
I soon can learn to do it if you’ll let me see it done;
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true,
But I’d rather get my lessons by observing what you do;
For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give,
But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

Emerson wrote, “What you are shouts so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say.” To be a Divine-Centered Leader, it is not enough to do what you say and practice what you preach. You must be what you teach. For example, let’s consider the principle of service. To operate on the highest level of influence, you can’t just teach about service or tell others they need to do it. You can’t merely go out and do service. You must be a service-oriented person. It must be a part of you. With this paradigm, you view service not as an action you do but as an attribute you possess. Thus, Divine-Centered Leaders do not merely teach about and do service, they are service.

A mistake some people make is that living a good life is sufficient to influence others for good. While it is true that people can learn just by observing what we do, the influence is the greatest when all three methods of influence: teaching, doing, and being, are utilized together.

John C. Maxwell is his book Developing the Leader Within You shares the following story of leading by example. “Benjamin Franklin learned that plaster scattered in the fields would make things grow. He told his neighbors, but they did not believe him. They argued with him, trying to prove that plaster could be of no use at all to grass or grain. After a little while he allowed the matter to drop and said no more about it. Early the next spring Franklin went into the field and sowed some grain. Close to the path, where men would walk, he traced some letters with is finger, put plaster into them, and then sowed seed in the plaster. After a week or two the seed sprang up. As they passed that way, the neighbors were very surprised to see, in brighter green than all the rest of the field, large letters saying, ‘This has been plastered.’ Benjamin Franklin did not need to argue with his friends anymore about the benefits of plaster for the fields.”

Jesus Christ Leads by Example
Jesus perfectly modeled the ability to influence others at the highest level – teaching, doing and being. Jesus taught the way to eternal life, showed it through his life, and actually is the way to eternal life. “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ It is not just that the Son of God brought light into a darkened and fallen world; He is the Light. It is not just that our Savior showed us the way; He is the Way. It is not just that Jesus of Nazareth restored the truth and taught the truth; He is the Truth. We have inherited a Greek notion of truth, one which emphasizes truth as something to be learned, a matter of the head. In fact, the Hebrew notion of truth was something we do and, more precisely, something we are, a matter of the heart.” (From address March 16, 1992 entitled “The Challenge of Christ-Centered Leadership” by Robert Millet)

Attributes of George Washington – A Great and Noble Man of God*

Humble
Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, wrote of Washington, “No man ever lived, more deservedly beloved and respected. . . [he] maintained a modest diffidence of his own talents . . . Possesst of power, possesst of an extensive influence, he never used it but for the benefit of his Country.” Washington recognized he was merely an instrument in the hands of God. In a speech following victory in the revolutionary war he stated, “I attribute all the glory to a Supreme Being . . . who was able by the humblest instruments . . . to establish and secure the liberty and happiness of these United States.”

Continually Learning
His higher education consisted of the lessons he took in surveying. However, during his lifetime he accumulated a library of more than 700 books, a great many which he studied closely. Washington’s step-granddaughter, Nelly Custis, wrote one of Washington’s early biographers: “It was his custom to retire to his library at nine or ten o’clock, where he remained an hour before he went to his chamber. He always arose before the sun, and remained in his library until called to breakfast.”

Defined and Lived His Values
As a young man, Washington copied out in his own handwriting the code of a moral life and strived to live by them. The last maxim read, “Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.”

Prayed and Fasted Often
Before the War of Independence, Washington purchased a thin Book of Psalms which he carried in his coat pocket. The Psalms often found there way into his writings and prayers. History records many prayers from Washington and his men that God would act on their behalf. Washington issued many orders enjoining his troops to pray; to attend church services; to observe days of thanksgiving; and to spend days in fasting, humiliation, and prayer. He expected his troops to conduct themselves as Christian soldiers. There are accounts in Washington’s private letters and journals which record many references to an entire day spent in prayer and fasting.

Faith
He experienced many excruciating failures and defeats. He knew the task before him was too immense for him alone. He trusted in “a kind Providence.” Washington was filled with a faith in God knowing he need not worry about the harvest, only about the sowing and tending; the increase depends upon the Lord. Washington devoted a lot of energy attending to the religious life of his troops, which he considered indispensable to their success. In a speech Washington said, “You do well to wish to learn our art and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a great and happier people than you are.” Washington was a man of Faith who loved Jesus Christ and the Bible. After taking his oath of office upon the Bible as required by the Constitution, he kissed the Bible.

Servant
After victory, there were desires by some to make Washington king. The first Congress voted to pay Washington a salary of $25,000 a year (approximately $500,000 in 2006 dollars). Washington, however, chose to continue his work as an unpaid servant of the people. During his years as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army he took no pay. He would do the same during his eight years as the first president of the United States. He exemplified the words of the Savior, “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” (Matthew 23:11, King James Version)

Sense of Divine Mission
General order from George Washington on July 2, 1776 read, “The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. . . Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands victory is.” Although the Continental Army lacked uniforms, sufficient powder, money, and a navy, they were fighting to be free and independent.

Uplifting Leader
Washington aimed his men high and drew more from them than seemed humanly possible. Yet he also maintained his composure when from all sorts of causes, their courage wavered, they broke ranks or ran. Leading a nonprofessional army, Washington often tasted that bitter cup. Yet he also knew how to pick his men up again, lead them on, and inspire them with the hope that they might do better on another day.

Grateful
On December 18, 1777, while he and his impoverished soldiers endured the cold winds and snow of Valley Forge, Washington asked his men to observe a day of prayer and fasting to give thanks to God for blessings already received, and to implore the continuing favor of Providence upon the American cause. Washington sometimes expressed dismay to those who did not recognize God’s hand in the war effort. In one letter he wrote, “. . . he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge [the hand of Providence].” Washington continually gave thanks privately and publicly to Almighty God.

*The majority of the content for this post was adapted from the book Washington’s God by Michael and Jana Novak.

Mentorship—A Shortcut to Success

I received an email recently from one of the readers of my book about mentorship. Below are the answers to his questions.

Question: How were your mentor relationships formed?

Answer: I have had several mentors and several different mentors are references throughout the book. Some of the people I learned from I have only spoken to on the phone or taken to lunch one time. Others I have a more established relationship. For example, I have sought advice and help from other successful authors on marketing and promotion. I made a list of all the authors I had questions for and wanted to learn from and then began contacting them by phone, email and mail. I was not able to talk with all of them but I was able to talk with many of them and many were very willing and excited to help out an aspiring author.

Others I have established a relationship with. For example, Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, was someone I wanted to learn about book marketing from. He has sold over 100 million books. At the time I was working with a publishing company that produced and sold a magazine to corporations for employee training, and I knew that Jack Canfield wanted to do more in the corporate market. I worked with the publishing company and Jack Canfield to create a product that that was a win for both. Jack Canfield flew to Utah to meet with us and I established a relationship.

Here is how I worked with the two mentors that I had most involved relationships with. I was invited to hear a multimillionaire businessman speak by a friend. I went and liked what I heard and liked the guy. He stayed after to talk with people so I stayed until I had a chance to talk to him. I then found out when he was speaking and went to each of his lectures. I learned that after many of his lectures he went out to dinner with some of his partners so I asked if I could come and was invited. At the dinners I tried to sit next to him and asked questions and worked to establish a relationship. I learned that he wanted to write a book and at this time my first book had been published and I was writing other books so I proposed that I help him write a book for only $10/hour. He liked the idea and we began working on a book together. I was able to get paid to learn from him and shadow him as I was writing a book for him.

I first heard of the other multimillionaire who eventually became on of my mentors from my brother who saw him lecture at the local university. I was doing a lecture series at the university so I invited him in as a guest lecturer. I organized the lecture series because I felt prompted by the Spirit to do so and it provided a way for me to meet and establish relationships with successful people I wanted to learn from as I invited them in to speak. After I invited this person into teach and we met and talk, he wanted to meet with me to discuss potentially working together. He had a list of business ideas he needed an entrepreneur to build and I was looking for a business to build. After a couple meetings, we agreed on partnering on one of the business idea and we began working together. This was April 2001. Over the next 5 years, I learned a great deal from him and as instruments in the hand of God, we built the company to over $10 million a year in revenue with $2 million a year in profit.

Question: Do you have any suggested reads on mentorship?

Answer: I suggest reading biographies of successful people. I have learned a great deal this way. One of my favorite biographies is Sam Walton by Sam Walton. He was always learning from others. In his biography he wrote, “I probably visited more headquarters offices of more discounters than anybody else—ever. I would just show up and say, ‘Hi, I’m Sam Walton from Bentonville, Arkansas. We’ve got a few stores out there, and I’d like to visit with Mr. So-and-So—whoever the head of the company was—about this business.’ And as often as not, they’d let me in, maybe out of curiosity, and I’d ask lots of questions about pricing and distribution, whatever. I learned a lot that way.”

Question: I have someone in mind but I'm not quite sure how to best establish the mentor relationship. Is there a formal process?

Answer: There is no formal process I know of except those at some schools that have setup various mentoring programs. I personally have not had a formal process for my mentors. If you can come up with a way that you can help the person with a project they are pursuing or desire to pursue, you can usually get a meeting and present your ideas and then take it from there.

Conclusion: The Perfect Mentor
Jesus Christ is the perfect example to follow. We must strive to emulate the Savior by fulfilling his directive to “. . . always act like your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:48, Contemporary English Version) If we are to become truly successful and prosperous, Christ is our pattern. All the enabling and perfect virtues are to be found in the Master Jesus Christ. As we follow the example of the Savior, we become like the wise man who has built his house upon a rock. As we make Christ our foundation, we will avoid the great fall of foolish men who have built upon the shifting sands of business ethics and the marshlands of the philosophies of man. Much of the world seeks not the Lord as their guide but the blind “. . . and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15:14, King James Version) We should seek our mentors among those who can say as the apostle Paul, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1, New International Version)

Q&A with Bible Money Matters Blog

Last week I was asked by the Bible Money Matters blog to do an e-mail interview. Below are the answers to the questions I was asked.

Question: What prompted you to write this book?

Answer: This book had its beginning in 1999 when I was working for a private Christian university. I had recently finished my first book on Christ-centered leadership and was working on a book discussing the grace of Christ. During this time, I was introduced to a multimillionaire who had recently moved into the area. We soon became friends and he asked if I would help him write a book on the steps to achieving financial freedom. My first reaction was that pursuing such a topic was worldly and could put my spirituality in jeopardy. I held the widely believed myth that “Money is Bad” (myth 23 of the book) and that being rich did not align with the gospel of Christ. After much thought, prayer, and spending countless hours with my friend, I realized I had many misconceptions about money and determined to add financial principles to my research, study, and writing.

Since that time, I have read hundreds of books on financial topics. I was concerned to find that many of the so-called success and financial books had no reference to God. I believe that trying to teach someone how to succeed without God is like trying to teach someone to swim in an empty pool. I discovered that the truly prosperous have learned to include God in all their actions, even those involving money. In the eyes of God, the world is not compartmentalized into temporal and spiritual, for all things (even money) are spiritual to Him.

Question: What would you say to those who dismiss your book as simply another book capitalizing on the "prosperity gospel" that has been so popular in some of the larger mainline churches?

Answer: I would reply with this comment that I received from one of my readers: “When your book was first given to me, I was skeptical, assuming that you were some sort of rich Bible-thumping kook trying to ease his guilt over being rich by spreading half truths. I have come to see that nothing could be farther from the truth. This book you wrote has made me see things clearer than I ever have before, and I will surely try to spread these powerful truths to everyone I know. In a very real sense, I have been freed.”

Question: If you could tell someone 1 or 2 things they could do to improve their financial life, what would they be?

Answer: 1. Be Teachable
I did a book signing at Costco last Saturday. On multiple occasions after a passerby would read the title of the book, “Does Your Bag Have Holes?” they would answer the question aloud saying, “No. My bag doesn’t have any holes?” C.S. Lewis wrote of pride, “If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.” Put into the context of the book title, “If you don’t think your bag has holes, you are in trouble.” Be willing to learn. Just as it takes thousands of hours of study and practice to develop the skills of a being successful engineer, so also it takes hours of study and practice to master the principles of prosperity.

2. Set Financial Goals with a Plan to Achieve Them
“Only three percent of Americans are independently wealthy: they can live off the income from their investment capital” (Charles A. Coonradt, The Game of Work, (Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 1991) p. xx). Studies have also found that only three percent of Americans have written financial goals. Most people do not achieve financial independence not because it is difficult or complicated, but because they simply have never created the goal and action plan that leads to independent wealth. Most Americans earn enough throughout their working life to become financially independent, but few create and follow a financial plan that leads to freedom.

Question: Your book comes with a definite Christian viewpoint. Do you think that even non-believers can get something positive out of your book, or do you think it will simply appear as foolishness to them?

Answer: I have received comments from people of non-Christian faiths who have loved the book and benefited from it. The principles throughout the book of faith, prayer, humility, integrity, industry, and charity can be beneficial to all readers regardless of their religious beliefs. Everyone can benefit from the many wonderful stories in the book and topics such as how to raise productive and self-sufficient children, why bad things happen to good people, how to ensure an abundant life and retirement, and the six habits of successful entrepreneurs.

Question: In your book you talk about the 6 choices that people have to make, with their choices deciding where they end up in their financial life. Do you think that any one of those choices is holding more people back than the others, or is it a combination of all these bad choices causing people to fail?

Answer: All men are born equal but become unequal as they make decisions. Every man chooses to obey laws differently. I don’t think there is any one choice in particular that leads people to failure. The life we live is an accumulation of all our choices. One may choose to play softball while another chooses to build a business. One may choose to turn on the television while another chooses to read books. One may choose to golf on his day off while another chooses to spend time with his family. One man chooses to listen to the radio on his way to work and another man chooses to listen to positive tapes. We are born equal, yet years later live diversely, all because we chose to live divine laws differently. The book Does Your Bag Have Holes? is designed to help people make the choices which lead to greater productivity, abundance, and success.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you . . . into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature. . . To be the one kind of creature is . . . joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other.”

Question: In your book you talk about the 4 principles of prosperity. Do you think it is possible to be truly successful without buying into those 4 principles?

Answer: Our lives are governed by laws and principles, such as the law of gravity. A child, though ignorant of the law, will still fall if he jumps off a ledge. The laws that govern wealth, health, and relationships are as clear and as binding as those that govern the earth, such as gravity. Regardless of whether or not we know or understand the laws, they always operate the same. We might want to eat 10,000 calories a day and not gain weight. We might want to smoke cigarettes, but not get lung cancer. We want to violate laws and principles and still have freedom and prosperity. This is as foolish as a farmer planting corn and expecting to harvest watermelon. Some might also expect financial abundance but learn nothing regarding the laws of wealth. This is as silly as a farmer not planting and expecting a great harvest. Our success or failure, our happiness or unhappiness, depends on our knowledge and application of the laws of success in our lives.

Question: Are there any final thoughts you'd like to leave my readers with?

Answer: I will leave you will these final words. You are a child of God and as such the seeds of greatness are within you. The only thing that stands between where you are and where you want to be is time and effort. You decide what your life will be like. It doesn’t matter what your past has been because you have the power to choose your future. Choose now to learn, change, and take the necessary actions to make your ideal a reality. Now is the time to live a life of excellence by living the principles of prosperity. Now is the time to be responsible, humble, honest, industrious, thrifty, and charitable. Now is the time to live by these words from the Bible, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13, New King James Version) Your Father in Heaven wants you to experience the joys of prosperity and as you seek His help, God will give you inspiration and strength to achieve a life of financial and spiritual freedom. As you live God’s truths, you will achieve happiness, independence, and peace. You will be prosperous.