Today's Oxymoron: Self-made

Good morning on this fine Wednesday. I hate the term self-made. Most often you see it in close proximity to words like: millionaire, billionaire, wealthy man, CEO, and others like 'em. In this age, as in many ages past, people often vote for products with their money. A man has an idea, and he produces a lot of widgets, and sometimes it happens that many people buy those widgets for the novelty or utility of the thing. When the man at the top takes the lion's share, and maybe more, as opposed to sharing with his employees or even cutting the customers a price break, he is said to be self-made. How could a term be further from the truth? Did he create himself, carry himself to term, birth himself, and then raise himself to adulthood? Of course not. Did he produce the thing himself, deliver it to each and every customer, collect and deposit the money, lay the roads and tracks, build the ships, and on and on we go. Is there a greater lie than 'self-made'?

Sharing is something we are taught from an early age, or, at least most folks are taught that, but somehow in the world of business sharing is no longer the thing to do. Employees are paid as little as possible so that the sharing is minimized. Companies who share more are called "poorly run" by the business analysts and their stock price suffers. Business lobbyists help to pass laws so that public corporations must work for the shareholders, even though many find ways to not do so. When the officers of the company become the shareholders, then the desire to serve themselves first takes over. This world is a messed up place. Even those who rise to a higher level in the corporation and still manage to want to do what is right are caught up in laws and rules that work against sharing the wealth.

So, today let us go for a new term: God-made. I am created and made by God. I am not entitled to hoard a big share of the loot for myself because God said to love my neighbor as myself. I cannot place myself on some titled pedestal because I am to love God with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. My Creator must come first in worship for without Him no existence is possible. To make or create myself is ridiculous and so is the term 'self-made'. If some idea comes to me that everyone purchases with their hard-earned money, then I will give the glory to God who is the source of creation and creativity. Sharing is hard when I look at the world and my circumstance, but it becomes easier when I put my faith in Christ.

Enjoy the day with the Lord!
Bucky