The commentator made an astounding proclamation.....
"The Gates raised three beautiful children, never was involved in any type of scandal, appeared quite a great couple publicly. Add to that they made billions of dollars which gave them the freedom to give away millions through their famous philanthropic foundation. They did so much good around the world."
After a pause, the reporter went on to say, " if they can't hold a marriage together, what hope is there for the rest of us?"
I yelled aloud my answer back to the television...(I'll tell you later what I said).
I applaud the generous giving this couple has provided to a number of very meaningful and worthwhile causes. Their desire to "do good" cannot be discounted. And I hope the best for them in the future.
However, like many high-profile people, they developed a "celebrity snobbery". Just because they knew how to make money and give it away does not mean they were experts in anything else (which they proclaimed to be on several topics). They preached to us about climate change, hunger, and world health diseases and how to eliminate them, but could not cure their own life. This arrogant couple lectured us, lowly mortals, on how to heal the earth, but couldn't rescue their own marriage. Why?
I've witnessed the same downfall in other individuals, couples, leaders, and organizations. I myself have suffered tragic failures after embracing some of the same behaviors, thinking, and attitude. I could give a laundry list of WHY, but for the sake of brevity, I'll just give ya the big one, which all others come under.
"Looking for love in all the wrong places"
> Love of money.." which is the root cause for all types of evil"..In many cases, having too much money is worse than not having any.
J.D. Rockefeller was once asked “How much money is enough?” He answered, “Just a little bit more.”
> Love of power...Longings and striving for power, status, fame, and recognition is a common feature of those in and with power who crave more. The lengths they will go to obtain more is incredible. They are often willing to forfeit all moral and ethical principles to acquire more.
> Love of Self.. When you think you've got all the answers, you're ripe for big troubles. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Be careful about yourself and your motives.
Pride is an excessive preoccupation with self and one's own
importance, achievements, status, or possessions.
"Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall"
> Love for freedom..."NO-ONE is going to tell me how to live my life. It's my body, it's my money, it's my life it's mine, mine, mine."
> Love with the idea of being their own god...All of the above are subsets under this one category. Since the fall of man, it's been the same story. When governing rules, commandments, precepts and principles are ignored or disregarded, you can count on a reckoning somewhere along the way. It's inescapable. We've been told clearly, “You shall have no other gods before Me." Deuteronomy 5:7
So what did I say to my hotel TV Sunday morning after hearing the commentator?
One word -- "Meaningless"
The wisest, wealthiest, and most accomplished man who ever lived, tried everything he could to find happiness, meaning, and purpose during his life. He left nothing out. Unconstrained sexual adventures, work projects, education, he withheld nothing that he thought would bring him pleasure and give satisfaction. He had excessive pride and admiration of his own appearance and achievements. After every failed attempt for self-fulfillment, he proclaimed "vanity, all is vanity" which is a quality of being worthless or futile. He said in essence, it's Meaningless!
He ended his lifelong search with a final conclusion which he wanted to share with us. A statement which you and I as well as Bill and Melinda should carefully consider.....
"When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: fear God [worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God] and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, every hidden and secret thing, whether it is good or evil."
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 AMP
There is a love that is true and right. Find it and you will surely......
Finish Well!
