A man is very wealthy when he dies, but he only focused on money and material things his entire life, he was highly educated and did indeed die very wealthy. Another man dies very poor. He doesn't have any real education, he has spent his life being a missionary and helping people. Upon his death you can put all his earthly possessions in a box and leaves no money. Who is the most successfull and why?
2006-08-25 06:33:04 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The wealthy man had everything he ever wanted. He didn't have to depend on anyone or anything in his life....just himself. The poor man knew the meaning of relying upon God for everything. He knew the meaning of Matthew 8:25-30:
"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what ou will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Ae you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do no labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"
The poor man lived his life glorifying God and laying up treasures in heaven where the riches are far greater than here on this earth. So the poor man was more successful. He died a rich man in heaven.
2006-08-25 06:53:14 · answer #1 · answered by onyxunicorn 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
NEITHER!
I would say neither of them could be technically considered "Most" successful. The reason is that we can only use superlatives if we are comparing a number greater than two.
I know not if it would be the poor good samaritan or the wealthy self induldgent guy who would rule supreme but I know which ever does would be called as "more successful" of the two not "most successful".
That said, the wealthy man focussed on material things but in todays world he probably ended up doing more good and helping more people (even if that was not his prime motive).
a.) Might have generated more jobs.
b.) Contributed to the economy (taxes and all) which will go a long way in helping all, especially the needy.
c.) Furthered the cause of education. Much evil stems from ignorance which then breeds even more ignorance. The rich guy avoided much of that.
d.) Nothing has been mentioned of what he did with his money when he died. A lot of people undergo transformations at their death beds. The wealthy guy could have contributed most or all of his money to charity.
e.) The poor guy could not have spent his life as a missionary, certainly not the first 15 years I bet. So, if the wealthy guy was studying in an ivy league (drinking and indulging himself perhaps) and the poor guy was engaging in acts of charity during those first 15 years, I fail to find any reason to pit one against the other.
2006-08-25 06:52:12 · answer #2 · answered by Triple_Lutze 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the question is, why the missionarry has to be poor and the rich guys is always on bad side ?
Well for me both are succesfull and both are poor. As you may aware the rich guys is successfull in earthly life but poor in spiritual life and the missionary is totally poor in earthly things but has abundant richness in spiritual life...
bottomline ... can the rich guys be a missionarry too ? i'm tired of the generalization that the missionarry is always poor ... sigh :(
Looking forward to the rich and dedicated life of missionaries out there !
2006-08-25 06:51:02 · answer #3 · answered by trademefx 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Is this a trick question? Lets see we are in the religion area. Does this have something to do with the eye of a needle and a camel? The missionary so long as he lived a fulfilling life and was not someones stooge.
2006-08-25 06:41:03 · answer #4 · answered by Ned 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The man who died poor, because he impacted more lives, he helped more people, and he REALLY LIVED. The other man lived according to today's standards, as do most people. He did what others did, he followed the crowd, and though money COULD have been spent to add years to his life, he didn't have any life in his years.
2006-08-25 06:39:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends on how you define success. If you think accumulation a great deal of money is success, so is the first one. And if you think success is to devote one's life, so is the second one. But in esotoric mind there is no success or failure. Sucess or failure is just an imaginary idea invented by asleep people. If you live with the Supermind you will be aware of that.
2006-08-25 06:40:40 · answer #6 · answered by Quangtomo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The poor man because he gave what he could of himself even though he was poor, he went out and helped people. Helping others makes you feel like you made an accomplishment.
2006-08-25 06:41:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The poor man. His life had meaning.
2006-08-25 06:36:03 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what the person's perception of "successful" is or was?
Both, I suppose.
Because they both lived out their version of FREE WILL.
Money may distract a person, but it won't fill the void.
Rich & Poor depend on what you are comparing against, both are conditional.
2006-08-25 06:39:07 · answer #9 · answered by wildflower 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
COULD BE EITHER. unless your in walt disney mode..to define it further the one who is most succesfull is surely the one who was happiest/ and sattisfied for whatever reason, the reader though will put there own view into this may it be religion based or what , sitting in judgement requires wisdom and intelect.
2006-08-25 06:49:41 · answer #10 · answered by exilephone 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋