A Giving Heart

LTC Jim Karr, USA (Ret.)

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Isn’t it great the way New Testament writers greeted one another in their letters and salutations?

As OCF’s Director of Organization/Resource Development, I want to reintroduce myself, and let you know that I believe our Lord has some wonderful things in store for OCF’s outreach to our military.

I spent twenty-plus years in the Army for my first career, and the next fifteen years in financial planning for a major financial services corporation that focused solely on the military.

During my second career, I came to realize that dealing with someone’s money is about as personal as one can get. The importance and priority people place on having money usually reveals where they are in their Christian walk. Wealth is like a blazing fire. It can cook and warm or it can burn and destroy.

Recently, I attended a seminar in Colorado Springs, at Focus on the Family. The thrust of the conference was ministering to the extremely wealthy in our nation.

One stark statistical reality came forth: right now, in the hands of Christian people of means, there are enough resources to fulfill the great commission.

Think about that for a moment.

The resources and technology are in place to fulfill one of the prerequisites for Christ’s Second Coming. One logical conclusion is apparent—Christians need to rekindle the age-old virtue of giving, presently called philanthropy by most resource developers.

The roots of philanthropy run deep in our nation. Our founding fathers established this country on firm Christian principles.

When our country was established, a person’s standing in the community related first to his Christian basis and standing in his local church. Most educated men were Bible scholars; most were taught to read using the Bible. Looking back in time, the foundational concepts and practices of philanthropy in this country were based upon the teachings of the Bible and the practical application of this teaching by its citizens.

Yale, Princeton, and Harvard were founded as seminaries to train ministers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. General Booth established the Salvation Army as an outreach to save the lost.

The Red Cross, most hospitals, benevolent organizations, rescue missions, clothes pantries, orphanages, and the first American life insurance companies were established out of Christian concern for the plight of the less fortunate. Before U.S. citizens allowed the Federal Government to assume (and then, for the most part, lose) the social conscience of our country, welfare was something that compassionate people did voluntarily to help their friends, their neighbors, and fellow Americans in times of need.

Since the tragic events of 9/11, we have seen a resurgence of America’s giving heart. The generous and overwhelming donations made the most brazen skeptics sit up and take notice.

Make no mistake. These attributes are Christ-like in their concern for others. The virtue of giving is a talent that can be developed in all of us. Significant giving for individuals has, at its genesis, certain seeds that must be planted early, and nurtured to harvest.

The bounty of that harvest can change the world. I once heard it said that $800,000 could change a third-world country for Christ. The country’s political leaders could be affected towards the Gospel and the nation could follow. That thought puts chills up my spine. The Bible says, "The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof." Indeed, this world and everything in it belongs to the Lord. If we can get it right in the management of His resources, think about the possibilities for Kingdom building on earth.

As citizens of the wealthiest nation ever on the face of this earth, there is one significant question worth asking: "What does God want me to do with all His wealth?"

In future writings I will have more to say about developing wealth for the sake of Christ’s Kingdom here on earth. Until next time expect great things from Our Lord, for great things He hath done!