Cultivating The Grace of Giving

By: Rick Boxx

Few people measure up to the standards set by R.G. LeTourneau. In the first part of the 20th century, Mr. LeTourneau was a prominent industrialist, inventing and selling much of the early earth-moving equipment. His business accomplishments were many, but I believe his eternal deeds were far more significant.

While some businesses make it a practice to invest in the lives of others, in most cases their financial or material investment is relatively small. According to the United States Internal Revenue Service, for example, corporations in 1998 designated slightly more than one percent of their net income in charitable activities. This did not begin to approach the 10 percent giving level that the Bible refers to as a "tithe."

For Mr. LeTourneau, however, a biblical tithe served simply as a starting point. According to his biography, entitled Mover of Mountains and Men, Mr. LeTourneau realized something very important: God owns it all - He is the true owner of everything! All that we have, everything that we claim to "own," is in fact a blessing from God. Having this knowledge and believing it fully, he opened his company treasury to God. Cheerfully and bountifully, Mr. LeTourneau gave not 10 percent, but 90 percent! He practiced a "reverse tithe" - instead of giving God 10 percent and keeping 90 for himself, he kept only 10 percent and gave God the rest.

Mr. LeTourneau maintained this practice for years, giving away 90 percent of his profits and living on 10 percent. There is no need to feel sorry for him, however, or to believe he was somehow deprived of enjoying the fruit of his labors. After Mr. LeTourneau learned the valuable lesson that you cannot out-give God, he was privileged to watch millions of dollars flow through his business and into the funding of extensive worldwide ministry, helping to meet the needs of countless people physically and spiritually. Even while giving away millions, Mr. LeTourneau experienced a life that was financially and abundantly blessed.

As we approach the time of year when many businesses evaluate the results of their year's productivity, and determine the amount of bonuses and charitable giving they will authorize, remember what the apostle Paul taught to members of the church in Corinth in 2 Corinthians 8:7, "But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

Even with all of Mr. LeTourneau's business accomplishments of years ago, it is very likely that you may not have recognized his name. Business success, after all, is fleeting. Even corporate leaders whose faces appear on prestigious business publications are quickly forgotten, easily replaced by the newest "superstar" of the business and professional world. However, I guarantee you that Mr. LeTourneau's eternal legacy is assured and will never be forgotten. Countless are the men, women and children who benefited eternally from his earthly generosity.

Ask yourself: What kind of legacy will people remember you for this year?

(Copyright 2007, Integrity Resource Center, Inc.) Adapted with permission from "Integrity Moments with Rick Boxx," a commentary on issues of integrity in the workplace from a Christian perspective. For more information about receiving Integrity Moments in their e-mail box, write to: rboxx@IntegrityMoments.com and type "subscribe" in the subject line or visit his website, http://www.integrityresource.org/.

Reflection/Discussion Questions
1. Prior to reading this "Monday Manna," had you ever heard of R.G. LeTourneau as a prominent business and industrial leader of the early 1900's? What does that tell you about the longevity - and legacy - of fame and success in the business and professional world?

2. What is your reaction to Mr. LeTourneau's personal philosophy of giving away 90 percent of his company's profits and keeping only 10 percent? Explain your answer.

3. At your company, who determines the giving practices at the end of each year - and what type of giving typically is done, if anything, in terms of employee bonuses and charitable giving?

4. Perhaps the idea of giving away 90 percent of corporate profits is unrealistic for publicly held corporations that have obligations to their stockholders. But what do you think would be the impact if companies would universally adopt a practice of giving a "tithe" - 10 percent - of their annual income to help in funding charitable endeavors, whether that be to assist the disadvantaged, help in fighting disease, promote education, or assist with spiritual needs?

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to consider other passages that relate to this topic, look up the following verses:

Proverbs 3:27-28, 11:24-26, 14:31, 19:17, 21:13, 22:9; 1 Corinthians 9:7-14; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15