Upgraded Lives, Upgrade Lives

Most of you would have heard of John D. Rockefeller. He was born on July 8, 1839, and died on May 23, 1937. He was the founder of Standard Oil. Ebenye Christy wrote a summary of his life below.

“John D. Rockefeller was the wealthiest American of all time and was once among the richest men in the world. By the age of 25, he had controlled one of the largest oil refineries in the U.S. By age 31, he had become the world's largest oil refiner. By age 38, he commanded 90% of the oil refined in the U.S. By the age of 50, he was the wealthiest man in the country. As a young man, every decision, attitude, and relationship was carefully crafted to cultivate his power and wealth.

"But at the age of 53, he became ill. His entire body became racked with pain, and he lost all of his hair. In complete agony, the billionaire who could buy anything he wanted but could only digest soup and crackers. An associate wrote, he could not sleep, would not smile, and nothing in life meant anything to him. His personal, highly skilled physicians predicted he would die within a year. 

"As he approached death, he awoke one morning with the vague realization of not being able to take any of his wealth with him into the next world. The man who could control the business world suddenly realized he was not in control of his own life. He was left with a choice.

"So, he called his attorneys, accountants, and managers and announced that he wanted to direct his assets toward hospitals, research, and charity work. John D. Rockefeller established his foundation. This new focus eventually contributed to the discovery of penicillin and cures for malaria, tuberculosis, and diphtheria.

"But perhaps the most astounding part of Rockefeller's transformation is that the moment he began to give back a portion of all that he had earned, Rockefeller's body chemistry was altered so significantly that he got better. It looked as if he would die at 53, but he lived until he was 98 years old.

Rockefeller discovered the power of gratitude and philanthropy, giving away much of his wealth. This act not only healed him, but also made him whole. The happiness he felt in sharing his blessings is one thing that healed him. 

In his later years, he reflected in his diary: “God taught me that everything belongs to Him, and I am merely a channel to fulfill His wishes. My life has been a long, happy journey, full of work and play. I let go of worry, and God was good to me every day.”

Christy's account is an accurate account of John D. Rockefeller's life. Consider how unlikely his transformation was. He was driven to succeed and to be the latest, the greatest, the biggest, the best, motivated to amass wealth, and ultimately became the richest among the leaders of that era: Carnegie, Edison, Chase, Vanderbilt, and Ford. He won the Gilded Age Cup. As that song says, "He was taken care of business every day. Taking care of business, every way." 

Then suddenly, at the age of 53, his health began to decline. That was a shot heard around the world at the time. It certainly caught Rockefeller’s attention. He was accustomed to being ‘large and in charge’ and independent, and now his health was deteriorating.

Here’s the real miracle of this story. At 53, Rockefeller turned to God. Do you realize that 19 out of 20 people turn their hearts to God before age 20? But, independent, wealthy, competitive, and confident, Rockefeller turned to God at the age of 53. He could have chosen rehab, human solutions, bitterness, or other options, but he chose God. As the saying goes, when you’re at the end of your rope, you find that God lives there.

This precise account of what Rockefeller did at age 53 reveals God’s nature, money’s nature, and our nature. Rockefeller’s story shows us that privilege comes with responsibility, and how we respond to that responsibility reveals our character. 

As Rockefeller deepened his faith in God, he began to realize that excessive accumulation leads to eventual poverty, while giving leads to abundance. Rockefeller understood that, as the Scriptures say, “Both riches and honor come from God…and Thou does rule over all….” I Chronicles 29:12 It’s not our money; it’s God’s money. God creates financial success, but we are the key. God entrusts people with the stewardship of His wealth. The opportunity to give back to the community is ours.

Do you recognize all the good that Rockefeller did with his money? He truly gave back generously. What can we learn from this? Aim at Earth and you get nothing. Aim at Heaven and you get Earth included. There is a deep and lasting joy in doing something that is both culturally meaningful and eternally important. If we choose God, our destiny is to go to Heaven. Our responsibility is to bring Heaven down to Earth now, through giving and serving, while we are still here. Giving is living. 

Here's your article takeaway: 1. To the world, you might be one person, but to one person, you might be the world. 2. Don’t make the treasure your pleasure. Make the Treasurer your pleasure. 3. The best the world can offer is rehabilitation. What people need is transformation through a new life in Christ. 4. It’s never too late to receive Jesus into your heart, even when 53+ years old.

Upgraded lives, upgrade lives. Aha!