Recently one of my acquaintances jokingly said, "I would love to have to pay taxes on a million dollars, because that means I would have a million dollars." This acquaintance, like so many other individuals in the world want millions of dollars without the stewardship that people who earn a million dollars have. Why do you think the lottery is so popular? It is a misconception that people think winning the lottery will make them happy. In order to win that kind of money, you must be lucky. So, they go throughout there life hoping and dreaming for the big score that will give them there millions which will give them there key to happiness. This is a great fallacy. Recently I learned that when someone in Florida wins the lottery, they also win sessions with a therapist. Why, because they don't know how to handle large amounts of money. The Lotteries found that people who won, often found themselves in worse conditions a few months after winning the lottery than before they won. Why weren't these lottery winners able to handle these large amounts of money? Because they acquired it without stewardship.

The way to true wealth is increasing ones stewardship in order to increase one's wealth. Many people think that Donald Trump is so lucky because he was born into a rich family and that is the reason he is rich. Those people are right, but for the wrong reasons. People think Trump is lucky because of his inheritance from his father. This is not so, because as you may know, Trump at one point was more into debt than most people ever think they could be. At Trump's low point he was out walking the streets with his then wife and pointed to a bum on the street and said, "See that bum, he is a billion dollars richer than we are." So, any inheritance that Trump got from his father was null and void at that point. What Trump was blessed to get from his father was the knowledge of stewardship. Trump took responsibility for his debts, met with the bankers that he owed so much and began digging his way out of a very large hole. Because Trump was willing to take stewardship for his actions and increase that stewardship he is again worth billions instead of owing billions.

Though few of us will be in the same situation as Trump, the principle is the same. If we want to increase our wealth we need to increase our stewardship. How do we increase our stewardship? By fulfilling our current responsibilities more fully. In your business or professions, what areas can you be more efficient? In what areas can you provide more value for your already existing clients and/or associates, without thought of return? In what areas can you provide more value for any individual in your life?

Increasing your stewardship isn't just in professional areas. As you increase your stewardship in your family, church and neighborhood you will be blessed with more stewardship in all areas. This will increase your wealth. This increase in stewardship shows that you are willing to handle what you are given. As you are willing to handle what you have you will be given more. You can't gain true wealth without first being willling to show stewardship of what you already have. Why would anyone give you more responsibility if you are unwilling to show responsibility for what you do have? With increased responsibility comes increased wealth.

Lets look at Bill Gates. Who has more employee problems, you or Gates? Who has more management problems, you or Gates? Who has more computer problems, you or Gates? Who gets less sleep at night, you or Gates? Who has bigger liabilities, you or Gates? Who has more debts, you or Gates? And finally, who has more money, you or Gates. Gates has increased his stewardship and his ability to manage his finance to the point where he, like Trump, is worth billions. Do you think Gates and Trump could have gotten to where they are without increasing their stewardship by showing that they are willing to be responsible for more and more? No, Gates and Trump have shown incredible amounts of stewardship. They have been rewarded with increased wealth.