Pity the Powerful

values

They say Bill Gates' net worth in 124 billion dollars. Who knows maybe they got it wrong, perhaps it's only 120 billion, or may be more like 200 billion. - What does it matter?


To give you an idea, one million seconds is about 11 days, while one billion seconds is more than 30 years, so there is a difference between being a millionaire and a billionaire. - What does it matter?

You can still only drive one car at the time, sail one yacht, fly one jet, live in one house, swim in one pool at the time, so what are you going to do with the other thousands of cars, yachts, jets, houses and swimming-pools?

If you want to sum it up (I like soundbites :-) you could say, "Money can buy a fine dog, but only love can make it wag its tail!"

Besides, the more stuff you get the more you have to store, clean, repair, insure, secure and protect from other fools who think accumulating stuff is happiness.

Once you get up there among the billionaires I think it's not a matter of being rich any longer, I think it shifts more towards power and control.

Why do they want to be in control? Perhaps it's because they don't have faith in a loving God. They can't believe things can be better by living according to the rules of love... loving your fellow man, share with the needy and stop exploiting the earth. ~ 1 John 3:17

They want to control the outcome of things, control people, control resources, even control space and the weather! How sad!

Reminds me of a passage from the Bible (NIV) "The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours."

"Jesus answered, It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.‘" ~ Luke 4:5-8

Not that I think all billionaires are bad and wicked. I have nothing against riches, especially when it is used to benefit the downtrodden. It's just that I think some (or perhaps even many) of the super rich are deluded by "the god of this world." ~ 2 Corinthians 4:4, 1Timothy 6:17

So what can be done about it?

I'm not sure, but I think rather than rant and rave and be angry about the evils of the world I should try to simply be a decent human being, listen to the voice of love and compassion, try to love my fellow man. Live day by day in love and sharing wherever I am... with my family, in my neighborhood, with my friends and community, and try to remember to be generous towards those in need. Bringing heaven to earth with the love of God.

I really don't see any other way.


PS: Along the line of "rich and powerful" recently I came across a conversation with former US vice-minister and investment banker Catherine Austin Fitts, “Mafia and the Powerful."


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