Was Jesus the first motivational speaker?
I love motivational speakers! I love it when they take simple stories of their life or someone else’s and turn that story into a great lesson. The greater the lesson the better the story and, for the most part, the greater the impact it has on the audience.
There are so many greats out there. Some of my personal favorites are ZIg Ziglar, Tom Hopkins, Tony Robbins, T. Harv Eker, John Maxwell, John Canfield, Jim Britt, Jim Bellacera, Brian Tracy and so many others that I have seen or heard through recordings. Of course there are some smaller names like Joel Comm, Ken McArthur, Dan Kennedy, Daven Michaels, Mike Koenigs, Terri Levine and Jim Donovan. All of these people have had an effect on my life and given me such a positive outlook on life.
I follow many of these great’s ideas. Because of Jim Donovan I even keep an idea book that my wife and I use to write down all of the things we want to do from movies to trips. When we are bored we look at the book for ideas and find something to do. T Harv Eker, well let’s just say “You need to attend a Millionaire Mind Intensive”! Jim Britt and Ken McArthur are two of the nicest people I have ever met and their success is truly well deserved.
Now as I study these greats, I am also studying the greatest man that ever lived, Jesus. Reading the stories Jesus tells to the disciples, I came across so many great stories. One story in particular made me imagine thinking I was listening in a conference room to anyone of the great speakers of today. This story made me think about today’s unemployment statistics. It also made me think about so many people stuck in ruts and not truly applying themselves.
As you read the story, I hope it will have the same positive effect on you as it had on me.
Mathew 25:14-30 (Story can also be found in the books of Mark and Luke)
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Jesus wants us to understand that we all have certain talents and abilities and we should not squander them.
God Bless you all!
Have a great Christmas!
Larry Steinhouse
