Friday, October 19th, 2018

Happy Elevated Friday! Today we highlight a story of a very wealthy man who has given up his entire fortune in favor of living a simple, happy life. 63-year-old Chow Yun-Fat, one of the most famous movie stars in Hong Kong, has accumulated an incredible net worth of $714 million in his career. However, Chow has always lived a simple and modest life. He has always purchased his clothes from thrift stores, eaten at “food stalls” (inexpensive Chinese restaurants), utilized public transportation, and only recently upgraded to a smart phone (after his Nokia phone of 17 years broke). He and his wife live on roughly $100 per month and are content with that. They plan to give away their entire fortune to a number of charities as well as their own charity. Of this decision and his lifestyle, Chow recently told ET, “My dream is to be a happy and normal person. The hardest thing in life is not about how much money you earn, but how to keep a peaceful mindset and live the rest of your life in a simple and carefree manner.”

The world tells us that more is the answer to everything -- more money, more time, more friends, more love, etc. Often, it is only at the end of life that we realize what Jesus told us all along – that living a good life means seeking more of him and less of the world – is, in fact, true. Stories like Chow Yun-Fat’s are novel because they go against every trend the world pushes, but to Jesus, should be the norm. Thus, it is not surprising how broken, hurt, and struggling our world is when it turns from Jesus’ teachings. In Matthew, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” It is amazing how much you don’t need when you have Jesus. Today, reflect on the things in your life and consider how many of them you really do not need. Pray for Jesus to be the only thing you seek more of.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

Original Article:

https://bit.ly/2CRKgLA