I grew up watching the Boston Celtics battle the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA Championship. More MVPs and Hall of Famers came from those two franchises than any other. So I was intrigued to read a recent news story about one of the biggest stars from that era, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The writer of the article described a remarkable event. He said Kareem made the decision to sell his 4 championship rings, 3 MVP Trophies, and other memorabilia for 2.8 million dollars and give all the money to advance education.
The famous athlete said, “When it comes to choosing between storing a championship ring or trophy in a room or providing kids with an opportunity to change their lives, the choice is pretty simple: Sell it all.”
Last week I was with a large group of friends who share that same extravagant view of generosity. Their sacrificial giving over the last 20 years is what built the facilities we enjoy today at The First Academy. They’ve followed the teachings of Jesus, who said, “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust. Instead, stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moths, rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being” (Matthew 6:21).
If you’d like to have the blessing of being part of the generosity movement that is transforming the Natalie Thomas Gym into a worship space for chapel and a performance center for the arts, please let me know, and I can share more details with you. We want you to experience the joy of making an eternal investment. Proverbs 11:25 promises, “The one who blesses others will prosper!”
Steve Whitaker
Connect with us for prayer or encouragement by sending an email to firstword@thefirstacademy.org
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