All top executives, and political persons, and sports stars, and TV personalities, and musicians, and physicians, and lawyers, and preachers, are crooks! They are only in it for the money! They don't really care about God or people. They just want to have it ALL!
Some people actually believe that! They are bombarded with the isolated stories of graft and corruption. We read and watch, and shake out heads and say, "The world is going to hell in a handbasket!" (I have no idea what that really means.) Of late there have been horrendous stories of persons robbing others of millions. For every story of graft and greed there are a thousand just the opposite. They rarely make the headlines. They are not sensational or shocking, but they are out there. The Baptist Standard gave two such stories this last week. Let me share just a bit of each.
Hobby Lobby operates 407 stores. They had sales of $1.8 billion in 2007. Their headquarters is in Oklahoma City. The family built the company on sound business and financial plans and also on a legacy of faith. Their President is Steve Green. His family of wife, Jackie, and six children are members of Council Road Baptist Church in Bethany, Oklahoma. In 1996 when he noted many businesses were moving to "Happy Holidays", Hobby Lobby began running full-page ads sharing the gospel at Christmas and Easter. They have funded production of 380 million Book of Hope copies that harmonize the four Gospels for children and others to read around the world. In 1998 they chose to begin closing their doors on Sunday, their busiest day of the week. They purchase properties and donate them to churches and charitable causes. More than $200 million dollars have been spent so far. They funded the movie "End Of The Spear" about the five missionaries who were martyred in Ecuador.There is more.Much more.
CHICK-FIL-A is led by Truett Cathy, an 87 year old Baptist layman. From the first days they began in Atlanta 61 years ago, they decided, he and his brother, to close on Sunday. His 1400 restaurants still do that. Traditionally a fast food place gets 20% of his business on Sunday. Cathy says: "That's the best business decision I ever made. We do more business in six days than our competition does in seven days.".They teach kindness and courtesy. "Thank you" and "My pleasure" are words he wants his employees using. They have given 24 million in scholarships. They also have built twelve foster homes and have donated 100 million to foster care, marriage enrichments and camp retreats.
These are only TWO of many such stories. They are all around us. People working in business but with higher goals than gaining wealth for themselves.Let's pray for them and support them with our business. Eat more chick'in!
