By Laura Lee Leathers
Several years ago, Morgan White Group Chief Operations Officer Richard (Rick) L. Eaton was enjoying a deer hunting trip with his oldest grandson, Carter, who said, “Granddaddy, I have to write a book report for my English class using a Mississippi author. I’ve decided to use you as my author.”
Rick replied, “Carter, that makes me feel so good. Thank you.”
Carter quickly responded, “Yeah, your book was only 90 pages long. That’s why I chose it.”
“Well, that brought me back to earth,” Rick stated during our interview.
The book, “Money with a Purpose: Activating the Promises of Psalm 112” was birthed from an experience Rick had at his local church about 38 years ago.
After the service, he heard these words from a godly woman he respected: “You’re a Psalm 112 man!”
He had no idea what she meant. So he pondered, prayed, and studied Psalm 112. For 10 years, he took notes as he studied the scriptures and implemented what he learned into his daily living. The book was written as a testimony of God’s work in and through his life.
Wealth, or riches?
Wealthy and righteous at the same time? That was a question Rick struggled with for many years. Initially, his thinking was, “If I was going to live for God, there was a limit to the amount of money I could make.”
“Wealth and riches will be in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.” – Psalm 112:3, NIV
But when he read Psalm 112:3, he realized “the will of God provided for both wealth and righteousness, and they were not mutually exclusive lifestyles.” The next question is, “What does a wealthy and righteous lifestyle look like?”
Wealth means the ability to generate more substance. It is about increasing, multiplying, producing more. Righteousness is living according to God’s principles, obedience, and pleasing Him.
Rick’s paraphrase for verse three is: “Wealth and its generative power will be in and produce accumulated riches in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.” Our money has a purpose beyond meeting our family’s needs. It is also there to help others get where God wants them to be.
Now look at 2 Corinthians 9:8 –
“God is able to bless you abundantly so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
“Having enough to meet your needs but having an abundance to help other people too. It’s making a significant impact that brings people into God’s kingdom. That could be done through feeding, clothing, housing, and education,” states Rick.
Start young, finish strong
Rick witnessed how his father, a successful electrical engineer, used his finances to invest in the lives of others when no one was looking. What was his father’s financial advice? Simple: “Spend less than you make. Put aside for savings, investment, and giving to others.”
This is precisely what Rick did. Now, past the retirement age, he shares, “I don’t want my giving in my retirement to change. I don’t believe in retirement, nor do I have any plans to retire. But I don’t want my giving reduced when I no longer draw a check.”
“I want to make provision to continue to (give). My motto is like my father’s: Save as much as you can, give as much as you can, and certainly don’t spend everything you make, because then you can’t do (the other two).”
Furthermore, “God has a plan and purpose for all of us, and it doesn’t stop at age 65. I want to be right in the middle of God’s will, including blessing other people.”
“Money with a Purpose: Activating the Promises of Psalm 112” is available to purchase on Amazon.
Laura Lee Leathers is a writer and speaker. Imagine Lois Lane, over 65, living on a farm. Her metropolis is the area of freelance writing. Her primary love interest is the Word of God. She digs for information, interviews fascinating people, offers a cup of biblical hospitali-tea, encourages, and helps others with the how-to’s of life. Visit LauraLeeLeathers.com.
