God and Giving

Starting in Luke 12:37 Jesus tells us that there is a special reward for being faithful and paying attention to when He returns. He tells us that He will seat us at a banquet table, put on an apron and serve us a feast. What a generous God! I’m sorry, I take this literally and I am looking forward to that meal. Christ uses the example of a homeowner who knows when a thief is going to break into his house and the owner is ready at that appointed time but we, as believers, must remain ready for His arrival at any moment. He also tells us that His arrival will come when we least expect it.

Peter then asked Jesus if what He was saying was for the apostle’s ears only and Christ answered by telling him that this message was for all of the people who believed and were faithful.

In verse 42, Jesus goes on to give the example of the faithful servant that has been given the responsibility to care for the family in the absence of the master. If the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward and more responsibility. If they have failed in their duties and party like there is no tomorrow, thinking that the master won’t be back for a while and failing to remain vigilant, they will be torn apart and banished from their master. The servant will be punished because they knew what their duty was and failed to do it.

If there ever was a part of scripture that summed up our modern day society, this is it. In verse 48 Jesus goes on to say that people who didn’t know any better would receive a light punishment but that those who were well informed and had plenty of opportunity to know and live His word, would be held to a higher level of responsibility. He finishes this thought by telling us that if we are given much in this life, much is expected from us in return.

I believe that people who are wealthy and are charitable in their giving, are great examples to the rest of us who are not so wealthy. An example of charitable giving and celebrity was shown in the life of the famous movie actor, Paul Newman. A quote attributed to him, helps explain how he viewed being charitable, the quote is, as follows:

“The concept that a person who has a lot holds his hand out to someone who has less, or someone who isn't hurting holds his hand out to someone who is, is simply a human trait that has nothing to do with celebrity.”

It is well documented that, Mr. Newman had a charitable heart and was a great example of what a secular philanthropist is. The reason I say that he was secular and not faith based in his giving is determined by his own words. Another quote attributed to him (regarding one of his charities) is as follows:

“I wish I could recall with clarity the impulse that compelled me to help bring this camp into being. I’d be pleased if I could announce a motive of lofty purpose. I’ve been accused of compassion, of altruism, of devotion to Christian, Hebrew, and Muslim ethic, but however desperate I am to claim ownership of a high ideal, I cannot. I wanted, I think, to acknowledge Luck; the chance of it, the benevolence of it in my life, and the brutality of it in the lives of others, made especially savage for children because they may not be allowed the good fortune of a lifetime to correct it.”

Paul Newman, his real name, was born on , January 26, 1925. Newman was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, the younger son of a sports store owner. His father was of Jewish-German descent and his mother was a Catholic whose family came from Hungary. She became a Christian Scientist when Paul was just five but her new beliefs did not impinge on the family and later in life Newman chose to follow none of their beliefs but, when asked, opted "for Jewishness because I considered it more challenging".

His acting debut, aged seven, was as the court jester in Robin Hood at school. He left Shaker Heights high school in 1943 and went on briefly to Ohio University, in Athens, where he was expelled, supposedly after an incident involving a keg of beer and the rector's car.

From 1943 to 1946 Newman served as a US navy torpedo bomber radio operator. He graduated from the liberal arts Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, in 1949 and that year married for the first time — to Jacqueline Witte — and returned to Cleveland to manage the family store. His father died in 1950. But his destiny was to be an actor and he and his wife and son moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where Newman attended Yale Drama School. He had ambitions to be a drama teacher, but he was spotted at Yale by New York agents, moved to New York and had a period at the Actors' Studio. He did a lot of television in that decade, debuting in an episode of the science fiction series Tales of Tomorrow in 1952. More importantly, chance led to a highly successful Broadway debut, originally as an understudy, in William Inge's play Picnic (1953-54). He divorced his first wife during this period of time and married actress Joanne Woodword. He is survived by her and their three daughters as well as two daughters from his first marriage. His only son, Scott, died of a drug overdose in 1978. Paul Newman died on September 26, 2008.

The most amazing thing about this man’s life was not his acting career. Newman founded a company called, Newman's Own, Inc. Founded on a whim with his friend A.E. Hotchner in 1982. . Based in Westport, CT, the charitable mission of Newman's Own is expressed in its Company motto: "Shameless exploitation in pursuit of the Common Good." Paul Newman and the Newman's Own Foundation donate all profits and royalties after taxes for educational and charitable purposes. Paul Newman and the Newman's Own Foundation have given more than $250 million to thousands of charities.

Paul Newman founded another important charity called, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in 1988. This wondrous place became the starting point for what is now a global family of camps. Today, Hole in the Wall Camps restore childhood to children living with cancer, hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, HIV and other serious medical conditions.

Supporters grew passionate about Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Camps mission, and by 1997 there were four additional camps including Double H Ranch in New York, Camp Boggy Creek in Florida, Barretstown in Ireland and L’Envol in France.

As was the case for many of Newman’s endeavors, the beginning of the Hole in the Wall Camps Global Partnership Initiative was fairly accidental, and began with a visit to Africa. It was that very visit that compelled Newman to expand Hole in the Wall Camps. Today, a Global Partnership Initiative in Africa and Asia extend the camp experience to children living with HIV / AIDS. In collaboration with local organizations and medical clinics, the program incorporates the traditional camp model with therapeutic recreation, HIV education, wilderness awareness and conservation. Since opening in 2001, these initiatives have educated and empowered more than 2,700 children and trained over 350 local staff members in Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, Lesotho and Vietnam. When you look at what this man did with his money and his fame, anyone would be impressed that he was a truly good man.

Going back to Luke 12:48, when Jesus tells us that more is expected from those who are given more. On the surface, a man who gave so much for good causes and helped humanity so much, would be a shoo in for the reward of heaven, right? After all, it is very likely that I will never be able to produce that much money for charity in my life time.

In Isaiah 64:6, God tells us that we are all infected and impure with sin and when we proudly display our righteous deeds, they are worth nothing more than filthy rags. Whatever we do for others must be done to glorify God first. Without God being involved, the charitable acts lose their spiritual value.

The fact is, I don’t have a clue if Paul Newman’s soul is in heaven. As a person who admired his acting and his generosity, I hope so. In fact, I hope that our Father in heaven is so, over the top, merciful and allows all of us sinners into heaven. The problem is that, His word tells me that all of my good deeds will be wasted if I did them outside of faith in Him.