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Book Excerpt
The Giving Myths While waiting in an airport bookstore, I observed a bookshelf bulging with bestsellers: The Automatic Millionaire; The One Minute Millionaire; Trump: How to Get Rich; Start Late, Finish Rich; Smart Couples Finish Rich; Why We Want You to Be Rich; and More Money than God. The question popped into my mind, “With all the interest in making money, who would want to read a book about giving money away?” Frankly, I don’t know. But lately, I’ve wondered if there are others who share some of the same feelings I’ve been having about money, the quest for it, and all the stuff that comes with what money can buy. Herman Melville described the “half-lived life” in Moby Dick: “For as this appalling ocean surrounds the verdant land, so in the soul of man lies one insular Tahiti, full of peace and joy, but encompassed by all the horrors of the half-lived life.” Haunting words. Maybe you’re one who has lived half your life only to discover it has been half-lived. If so, this book may help you make some life-changing decisions for the second half of the journey—decisions that will enable you to get what you really want in life and what the first half has failed to deliver. If there are times you feel sick to your soul by the crass materialism peddled over most religious television as Christianity, you’ll find a kindred spirit in the pages that follow. Perhaps a little of my ranting will give expression to some of your rage. There is so much more to the Christian faith than what the world is viewing on TV. You may be discovering that, whatever the reason for your appearance on planet earth, that reason is somehow inextricably bound up in a passionate pursuit of the divine presence in your life and a genuine concern to serve others in what little time you have left. If so, I hope to illuminate the journey for you by demonstrating how to get outside yourself and experience what I now refer to as the “blessed life”—the life we all really want. Similarly, Jesus’ paradoxical words may have resonated with you. “He who would save his life will lose it, but he that gives his life away finds it.” You’ve been wondering how to do just that. You’re already on the path toward the life that matters—the life devoted to giving yourself away. You’ll discover in the real-life examples I share some encouragement for your journey. Finally, you may have discovered that Jesus talked more about money and possessions than any other subject save the kingdom of God. You may have wondered why. I’ve wondered that for a long time, too. Few have enjoyed the material benefits that money can buy more than I have. But for a long time, I have awakened every morning with this gnawing feeling inside that there’s something terribly wrong with the fact that I have so much when so many have so little. I live in a nice, suburban home, yet the one after whom I’m attempting to pattern my life said of himself, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but I, the Son of Man, have no home of my own, not even a place to lay my head” (Matt 8:20). Something is wrong with that picture. I’ve discovered a few answers to this conundrum. If you share a similar feeling of unease, maybe what few answers I have will help you. I have been honest as I can be with the teachings I find in what the majority of Americans say they believe is the Word of God. Many of the things Jesus said, as you’ll see, are quite paradoxical. But I trust I have captured some of their meaning in addressing the tension those paradoxes create. The path of giving I’ve chosen has brought to me a most blessed life—the life I’ve really always wanted. I pray that the light I shine on the path I’m following will illuminate yours and bring you a reward equally as meaningful. If so, then you will join me in saying, “I have truly found the meaning of life—the life God intended—the life I’ve always wanted.” – Steve McSwain |
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