"Far better to be right and poor than to be wrong and rich."
Proverbs 16:8, The Message

About four years ago (or thereabouts ... I'm very bad at remembering time frames), the company I worked for was investigating a project opportunity in Tennessee.  The lead came from an artist who was very well known in the Christian art world.  He was a very talented guy who worked on some pretty spectacular projects.  We had worked with him once before on a 65' statue of Jesus, located in Ohio, just south of Dayton.  That statue became known as "Butter Jesus" on the Bob and Tom morning radio show.  I think someone even wrote a song about it. 

Because I had a previous working relationship with this artist, I was co-managing the effort to investigate this project.  Investigating consisted of three trips to Nashville, TN to meet with the artist, his design team, and a group of investors looking at funding the project.  Those three trips are what led to me falling in love with Nashville.  If you've never been, it's a place you really need to visit.  Anyway, my company and I invested a lot of time and money investigating this project.  It was full of potential, and offered a great opportunity for everyone to make a lot of money.

You've probably guessed by now that nothing ever came of it.  Our CEO saw the handwriting on the wall and pulled the plug before we got too far into it and lost any more money.  The investors were all sizzle and no steak as well.  They talked a big game but never followed through on any of it.  The artist ended up being a less than honorable business man (we ended up part of a lawsuit on another project we worked on with him).  The last I heard of him he was avoiding the IRS as a full time job.  It saddened me to hear that because I think he really was a good guy who lost sight of what was right.  He created works of art that were beautiful, and glorified God.  During the last few meetings I had with him all he could talk about was how rich we were going to get.  In four short months he lost focus on what was important.  When he first approached me about the project, all he could talk about was how great the project would be and how many other people would benefit as a result of it.  Eventually all he could think about was how he would benefit.

Like some of you (maybe) I've had opportunities offered to me to "get rich", and "make a lot of money."   I decided to pursue a few of them.  Not one of them panned out.  The most recent one was pretty disappointing ... more so than any other ... because I really believed what the 'idea bringer' was telling me.  He may eventually get rich ... who knows ... but if he doesn't change, it may come at the expense of his integrity.

An old friend of mine got rich through one of the opportunities I pursued.  Rich meaning he had a residual, six figure income that was going to pay him "forever."  I don't know if it's still paying him.  A few financial rugs got pulled out from under him along the way.  In addition to that, his two oldest daughters were both 16 and pregnant ... before MTV glamorized it ... and his youngest daughter had to enter a substance abuse program while still in her teens.  I know I've made a lot of wrong decisions in the past.  Chances are I'll make more in the future.  Each time I've been presented with an opportunity to make a lot of money, I've been let down.  It's amazing how you can get tunnel vision at times like that, and lose sight of what is right.  I know I have. 

I don't know what kind of person I'd be if I were rich.  I'd like to think I'd be the same guy I am today.  I heard once that money only magnifies who you are, so if you're a jerk who makes a lot of money, you'll be a bigger jerk.  If you're a nice guy who makes a lot of money, you'll be really nice.  Here's what I do know ... I'd rather be where I'm at today having made all the right choices, than be rich by sacrificing my family, integrity, honor, and reputation. 

The old saying about how you can't take it with you ... it's true.  What do you say we all do our best to live that way?  Do the right things, say the right things ... you'll be richer for it.  God bless.