‘Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.  Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.  Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.  Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.  Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.  Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.’   James 5:1-6   KJV

Earlier this week I read where a Pastor of a Mega-Church in Houston had, initially,

refused to open the doors for the thousands of displaced Texans from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.

Now this popular pastor preaches what is known as the Prosperity Doctrine…where if you are a christian you will become rich and full of health and happiness.

Certainly, there are multitudes of Christians…that have been devastated by Harvey?  Most assuredly their homes were destroyed and many are sick and grieving and many have died.

I have spent my life in the Christian faith.  During that time…I have been abjectly poor and have know countless people that lived as humbly and purely…the Christian Life… as it can be lived…that nevertheless…were poor from the cradle to the grave.

Jesus…was a carpenter…his mother and father could find no room in the Inn…and he was born in a stable.

Is the Christian life…emotion…and what can I get out of it…or is it a daily living of Christ’s principles…without concern for money…or fame…or power…or prestige?

I wonder…were the suffering and the hurting…not good enough…for the Prosperity Doctrine?

I have been privileged to work with many wonderful people during my career and in my joyful retirement.

A leader that I admired so, was former Chancellor Don Beggs, who not only always had time to say hello…but the unique ability to make the person he was speaking with…feel like the most important person in the world.

From time to time I would telephone Dr. Beggs, even after his departure to become the President of Wichita State University, where he would take my call immediately, if possible…or respond to me within an hour of my call.

Now, I had no special abilities or position…to cause Dr. Beggs to respond to me so quickly…but I was sure that this was how he treated everyone…including a member of the Housekeeping Staff.  

My custodial staff in the Wham building, where Dr. Beggs was the Dean for a number of years, loved him…for his demonstrated care and concern and value that he had for each of them.

Another Chancellor, who shall remain nameless, began with great promise of being a person who would listen to all of the University Community.

I served on a University Wide Committee, that the Chancellor chaired, and I was the only representative for almost 2,000 Civil Service Staff.

The Chancellor would ask for ideas and suggestions from us, as Committee members, but when I would email my thoughts…there was no response.

I thought, at first, that this must be a fluke.  But, being acquainted with both of her principal aids…I asked them if she was receiving my emails.  I was told that indeed she was…and had even discussed one of my emails with one of the aids.

The President of the University had asked me to set up a meeting with the non-responding Chancellor…to talk of my history and institutional knowledge regarding SIU.  I told the President that I had not bothered to endeavor to meet with the new Chancellor due to my numerous emails not being responded to.

One of my premier tests for a leader that cared about all of the University Community…was how they treated the janitor.

Signals are sent…and received so quickly…and often later…can not be overcome.