Chapter 18 Letter 18: I have no right to be poor

Motto: I should be rich, I have no right to be poor. Let money be my slave, not me a slave to money. Every extra penny in your hand increases the power to determine your future destiny. (Well does the man know, who has suffered, there are things sweeter and holier and more sacred than gold.) July 26, 1906 Dear John: There are many tragedies caused by bigotry and pride, as are those who create poverty. Many years ago, at the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, I met a young man named Hanson, a little gardener who was living miserably on austerity.Maybe Mr. Hansen thought that it was a virtue to stick to poverty. He put on a noble face and said to me: "Mr. Rockefeller, I feel that I have a duty to discuss with you a problem-money is the root of all evil. It says in the Bible."

At that moment, I knew why Mr. Hansen had no relationship with wealth. He was getting his life lessons from a misunderstanding of the Bible.But he didn't realize it. Not wishing to sink the poor young man further into his narrow-minded swamp, I told him, "Young man, I have been taught all sorts of Christian maxims as a rule of conduct since I was a child. I think you are the same. But my memory seems to be better than yours, you forgot, there is another word in front of that sentence - love, 'Loving money is the root of all evil'." "What did you say?" Hansen's mouth was wide open, as if he was about to swallow a whale.I wish he had that much appetite for money.

"Yes, young man," I patted him on the shoulder, and said, "The Bible is rooted in human dignity and love, and it is a respect for the highest soul in the universe. You can quote the words in it without fear and bring life to life. Trust it. So when you quote the wisdom of the Bible directly, you are quoting the truth. 'The love of money is the root of all evil'. Oh, that's right. The love of money is a means to worship, not an end. If you don't have the means, you can't achieve the goal, which is to say, he only knows how to be a miser, and money is the root of all evil."

"Think about it, young man," I reminded Hansen, "if you have money, you can benefit your family and friends, give them a happy and happy life, and even benefit the society, saving those who are helpless. poor, then money becomes the source of happiness." "Young man, every extra penny in your hand increases the power to determine your future destiny, go make money," I persuaded him, "You shouldn't let those paranoid ideas lock your strong hands, you should Take the time to get rich, because with money comes power. And New York is full of opportunities to get rich, and you should get rich, and you can get rich. Remember, boy, you're a traveler in this world, but you're going to slip Shine a light on life."

I don't know if Hansen will take my advice. If not, I'll feel sorry for him. He looks solid and he's not stupid. I always thought that everyone should take the time to become rich.Of course, some things are indeed more valuable than money.When we see a grave covered with autumn leaves, we cannot help but feel an indescribable sadness, because I know that there are some things that are indeed higher than money.Especially those who have suffered can deeply appreciate that there are things sweeter, nobler and more sacred than gold.However, people with common sense know that none of those things have been greatly improved with money.Money may not be everything, but in our world, many things are inseparable from money!

Love is the greatest thing God has given us, but a lover with a lot of money can make love happier, and money has such power! To say, "I don't want money," is to say, "I don't want to serve family, friends, and fellow man." Absurd as that is, it is equally absurd to sever the two! I believe in the power of money, and I believe that everyone should of course make money.However, religion has a strong bias against this idea, as some believe it is a great honor to be God's poor people.I once heard a man pray in a prayer meeting and said that he was very grateful that he was a poor child of God. I couldn't help but think to myself: If this man's wife heard such nonsense from her husband, what would happen? Thoughts?He would definitely think he married the wrong person.

I don't want to see this kind of poor people of God again, and I don't think God wants to either!I can say that if someone who should be very rich is weak and incompetent because of poverty, then he must have committed an extremely serious mistake; he has not only been unfaithful and loyal to himself, but also wronged his family! I can't say that the amount of money earned can be used as a criterion for success in life, but almost without exception, you can use the amount of money to measure a person's contribution to society.The more you earn, the more you contribute.When I think that I have brought countless people to the road of prosperity forever, I feel that I have a great life.

I believe God forged diamonds for His people—not Satan and his ilk.The only admonition God has given us is that we cannot earn money, or anything else, against God.Doing that will only make us feel more guilty.There is nothing wrong with getting money, a lot of money, as long as we get it in the right way and not let it drag us by the nose. Some people don't have money because they don't understand money.They think money is cold and hard, but money is neither cold nor hard—it is soft and warm, it makes us feel good, and it matches the color of the clothes we wear. What I am is created by my past beliefs.Frankly speaking, when I felt that the world was suffering because of poverty, I sprouted a belief: I should be a rich man, and I have no right to be poor.Over time, this belief became hard as steel.

When I was young, it was the period when the idea of ​​worshiping gold was sanctified. At that time, tens of thousands of gold diggers flocked to California from all directions with dreams of getting rich. Although it was later found that the gold rush was just a trap, it But it has greatly aroused the desire to get rich in millions of people, including me-a child who is only in his teens. At that time, my family was in a difficult situation, and I often had to accept help from well-meaning people.My mother is a very self-respecting person. She hopes that I can shoulder the responsibility of being the eldest son and build this family well.My mother's desire and teachings have fostered a lifelong sense of responsibility in me. I made an oath: I will not become poor, I want to make money, and I want to use wealth to change the fate of my family!

In my teenage dream of getting rich, money, for me, is not just a tool for my family to live a prosperous and worry-free life, but a society where money can be exchanged for moral dignity by giving—spending it wisely Status, these things excite me far more than luxurious, stately houses and beautiful, beautiful clothes! My understanding of money has strengthened my belief that I want to make money and become a rich man, and this belief has given me an incomparable fighting spirit to pursue wealth. My son, there is nothing more pitiful and despicable than a man who makes money for the sake of making money. I know how to make money: let money be my slave, not me.That's what I do.

love your father