Self-Made Man

I read a story about Tom White in the Boston Globe. White has been a very successful business man but his distinguishing feature is that he has given nearly all his wealth away. The article tells about a building being named after him in Haiti and how he really didn't care for that. He associated it with all those stories we read about self-made men who have accomplished great things on their own.

White doesn't think there is such a thing as a self-made man. Everyone has been helped along the way so a man's rewards are never his alone. In a sense, when he gives his money away it actually represents a lot of people who have helped along the way so a building named for just one man doesn't seem appropriate.

It was refreshing to read that because we seem to hold the idea of a self-made man in high regard. If we really believe in it we could be in danger of not getting anywhere because we refuse the help of others. I think it is only when we realize that we need others that we begin to reach our potential.

I also think the same is true in a spiritual sense. We need each other if we are going to grow spiritually and refusing to acknowledge that stunts our growth. We also tend to look up the chain-of-command for help and often overlook real value right under our noses. I need to be just as open to God working through the kids in the pre-school Sunday School class as I am those spiritual giants in my life.