Brooke

Psalm 49:16, 17 Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. (NIV)

When Brooke Astor died a couple of days ago, so did a part of New York city. Her philanthropy was well known and in her lifetime, she managed to give away $200 million to worthwhile causes throughout the city. Brooke inherited the money from her husband’s fortune, a foundation of $69 million. She insisted that both the interest and the capital be spent, so that within her lifetime, all of the money was used.

Brooke was a real lady, whose good manners, dignity, and interest in people were legendary in New York. She insisted on visiting places where money from the foundation was being spent. She personally interviewed group leaders in drug-infested areas of New York to ensure that the money they requested from her was being spent on worthwhile projects. Most of her money went to arts and cultural organizations, but a substantial sum also established many community programs.

She was the last of the great philanthropists who gave out of compassion. She was not motivated by guilt like Carnegie, or the need for fame like the Rockefellers. She gave simply because, in her own words, “"Money is like manure, it should be spread around."

Her last years were surrounded by controversy because her care-givers squabbled about what was left of her money. She died at the grand old age of 105. She left riches on earth, but I believe that through her giving, she will receive greater riches in heaven. She couldn’t take money with her, but she could take a soul that pleased God through her generous philanthropic ways.

We each have been blessed and given resources by God. We all are called to be responsible with those gifts. Are we willing to spread around what God has given us, so that other people, places, and programs will be established, enabled, and enhanced through our gifts? Are we motivated by our need to succeed, which promotes greed; or do we live to give?

Prayer: Lord God, everything we possess is a gift from You. All that we have is given to us by You. Help us to share what we have and to spread Your blessings around. Release us from the insecurity that grasps our hearts and plagues our minds. Free us from the worry of wasting our blessings. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.