 " The almsgiving of a man is like a seal upon him, which will guard the grace of a man like the pupil of an eye." (Sirach 17:18)
To give while in need is the real giving and favor
Someone asked Bill Gates, " Is there anyone richer than you?
He answered and said, " Yes one person only."
They asked, " Who is he?"
He said, " Years ago when I graduated and had the idea of the Microsoft project, I was in JFK airport when I caught sight of the magazines and newspapers before the flight. I liked the title of one of the newspapers, so I decided to buy it. However, I did not have enough change to do so. As I was about to leave, I found the child, the newspaper's seller. When he saw how much I was keen and interested to have it he said, " Take this newspaper, I give it to you. Take it."
I said, " I do not have enough change to buy it."
He said, " Just take it. It is for free."
After three months and by coincidence I had my flight from the same airport and the same terminal when I caught sight of a magazine. Again I checked and did not have enough change to buy the magazine.
The same child again said, " Take this magazine, it is for you."
I said, " Some time ago I was here and you gave me a newspaper for free. Do you treat everyone who does not have enough change the same way?"
He said, " No. But when I give, I give from my own money."
That sentence and the look of the child stuck to my memory. And I was wondering on what basis and with what emotions did he say that. After nineteen years and after I became who I am now, I decided to look for that child and pay him back his favor.
I formed a team to search for the child who sold newspapers at JFK airport.
After one and half months of searching, they found that he worked as a bodyguard at the theatre. I invited him and asked,
"Do you know me?"
He said, " Yes, Mr. Bill Gates the known figure. All the world knows you."
I said, " Years ago when you were a child selling newspapers, you offered me magazines twice for free when I did not have enough change to pay for them. Why did you do that?
He said, " That was normal because that's what I felt doing."
I said, " Do you know what I want from you now? I want to pay you back your favor"
He said, " How?"
I said, " I will give you anything you ask for."
The young man answered while laughing, "Anything I want?"
I said, " Ask for anything."
He said, " Do you really mean anything?"
I said, " Yes, I will give you anything you ask for. I have given out loans to fifty African countries. I will give you the same as all of them put together."
He said, " Mr. Bill Gates, you can not pay me back!"
I said, " What do you mean, I can not pay you back!"
He said, " You can afford to do that. However, you can not pay me back."
I asked, " Why can't I pay you back?"
He said, " The difference between you and me is that; I gave you when I was in need and you want to pay me back when you are well off. That will not pay me back. However, I was overwhelmed with your kindness."
Bill Gates said that he always felt that no one was richer than him but that young man."
" Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty" ( Mark 12:43-44)
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