Rethink Your Giving Strategy

Its human nature to want stuff.  I have spoken at prisons, corporations, churches, men and women’s groups and professional associations and there is a common denominator with all those people. Different walks of life, different perspectives, different goals, different priorities but the one common denominator is that everyone wants more out of life.

We are not talking about necessarily material wealth, money or anything like that but we all want more. More fulfilment, better health, better credit, more money, more fulfilment, more life, more energy, more love. We all want more out of life and you have the power to create that more. Whatever you desire, whatever sets your heart on fire. You already possess the power and the time to get more of what you want out of life.

Before we focus on getting, let’s talk about giving.  We all have a strategy to GET, but do you have a strategy to GIVE?  Not just your money but your time, your talent, your resources, your experiences, your love, your encouragement. Rethink how you give.

Don’t take this likely. This single paradigm shift of how you approach your time, your talent and your money that can change your life and could change the direction of your financial health forever!

First example I want to give you from scripture. In scripture we see Jesus talking to a rich man. This was a good man, he was a philanthropist, he did right by people and he approached Jesus and said how can I inherit the kingdom of heaven?  Jesus told him to give all his money away to the poor. [Give ALL my money away?!!?]  Needless to say he went away sad.  Of of all the things he could buy…. all this power that he had, he could not inherit the kingdom of heaven. He couldn’t be a follower of Jesus because he was not willing to part with the material possessions that he had. Jesus teaching to his disciples and the people around him said, “It is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than it is a rich man to get into heaven.”

Now is Jesus against you being rich? Is He against you having money? No! But what He’s saying is He doesn’t want anything coming before Him…..THE GIVER!  There is a source that is giving you everything that you have, that gives us everything that is around us. No matter how much it is, no matter how little it is we have to have respect for the giver, the One who has blessed us with these things. What he is telling the rich man is if you give your riches to benefit others, I can give you more riches than you ever expected. RETHINK YOUR GIVING STRATEGY!

R.G. LaTourneau is an icon in business and philanthropy. He was one of the original creators and inventors of the Caterpillar tractor equipment back in the early 1900s when railroads and highways were first built and industrial America was developing. R.G. LaTourneau was a road maker who figured out a way to put tracks on a tractor to lay the railroads so that tractors won’t sink into the mud. He developed his own equipment and he built his own roads. In the 1930s, the Great Depression, things slowed down for everybody. He found that he could sell his tractors to those who had work for more money than he would make building roads.

R.G Laterno was a giving man who aspired to live of only 10% of his income and give 90% to the church to benefit others that were less fortunate from him.

In 1938 R.G. LaTourneau made 1.4 million dollars. That’s the equivalent of 23 million dollars today!! He made that in 1938! R.G LaTourneau’s commitment to giving away 90% of his income attracted that kind of wealth and increase to his life. He gave worldwide to churches, universities, to cities to build schools and libraries. He had a relationship with the Giver that allowed him to live on 10% of his income and give away 90% and would often say,” people say that’s a lot to give away.” He says, “Well I keep 10% of what God allows me to have and give 90% back to it.” That’s an interesting perspective. Change your thinking, CHANGE YOUR GIVING STRATEGY!

It’s not just all about money. You have an experience. You have something in your life that other people can relate to. I mentor youth and speak at schools and universities across the US, but my joy to me is to see that one person got it, who took away one thing. That builds me and that fuels my spirit!

If you are a hip-hop fan you may know my man Nas! Nas said on his song Purple “Stop teaching kids to read through bars, start teaching them to reach for the stars.” We have to pour out our gifts, we have to pour out of our spirit. Think about how you give your wisdom, you experience to someone else. It takes a village, it really does take village to bring increase to our lives.

I am working with amazing people and I am excited about what is going to happen in 2015. Please follow me at Romemadison.com. Tell a friend. I want to pour out “Wisdom For Your Mind & Motivation For Your Behind” to create more in2015. How are we going to create more? By using more and doing more with what you already have!