We all have those moments in life that open our eyes wide to a truth we never fully understood. They leave us speechless and force us to take a deep dive into our beliefs and values.
I had one of those moments from two interactions with wealthy men. The contrast of their paths in life was sobering, to say the least. This is a tale of two impactful connections…
I Met Him at a Fancy Restaurant
We had known each other for many years, but he greeted me with a stern brow while seated.
His phone was out on the table, letting me know his priorities.
We got right into business talk, and I heard about his recent big deals with big-name companies.
He seemed disinterested in me, and he gave the impression that he had nothing to learn from this meeting.
There was firmness in his voice as he spoke about how his children would need to earn his respect in life and business.
He recounted stories of lavish vacations and the indulgences offered to him by his success.
We closed our conversation with him offering me bits of advice from business books on how I could reach my greatest potential.
He then rushed off to his next business meeting.
The interaction made me reflect on my life, priorities, and what I spend my time on.
I then realized this may be the richest man I've ever known.
“It is not the number of years in a man’s life that matters, but the kind of life he lives.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I Met Him at an Adoption Celebration
We had never met before, but he greeted me warmly and walked right up to shake my hand.
His focus was right on me, and this conversation was clearly his priority.
We got into family talk, and I learned he had 18 kids, 3 biological and 15 adopted.
He was very interested in learning more about my family and our adoption story, even though we had only one adopted child compared to his 15.
There were tears in his eyes as he thanked God for the years they had with one of their sons before he lost his life in Afghanistan.
He recounted working the same job for over 30 years and how God always provided for their needs.
We closed our conversation with him saying that every time he told God, “No, I can't do this”, he was shown otherwise.
He then happily pointed out and named all his children, varying in age, race, and story, and he said, “God has been so good to me.”
The interaction made me reflect on my life, priorities, and what I spend my time on.
I then realized this may be the richest man I've ever known.