For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
On a random Monday night, right in the middle of Manhattan, Chelsea to be exact, I heard the most profound statement that echoed in a room filled with NFL football players, investors, lawyers, Wall Street bankers, artists, comedians, actors, reporters, photographers, beauty pageant queens, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and so many more:
“Every dollar raised on tonight will go directly to the kids I support through my foundation, and not one penny will be used to pay my staff’s salary…I pay that out of my own pocket” proclaimed Rashad Jennings #23, the starting running back for the New York Giants. Those words were truly unforgettable, and really took me by surprise!
That night was the 2nd annual Giant Night of Comedy, and it was remarkable at how well this event turned out. Don’t get me wrong, I have attended some very outstanding charity events and even worked with some of the most successful non-profit organizations. But there was something noticeably different about this one…Rashad’s heart bled out loud! And everyone in attendance could visibly see it! If you too have a foundation, a charity, a non-profit, or an organization that God has placed in your heart, I have some revelational insight I received from this event, that I must share with you, in hopes of helping you unlock all of your hidden treasures!
- The Capacity of your Heart- When you have a very big heart, people can’t help but notice it and gravitate towards it! At Rashad’s event, the room was filled with a diverse group of people from all walks of life representing different demographics! This lets me know that in order to attract the level of support you need, to support your vision… the capacity of your heart to serve, must be just as great as your desireto see the vision fulfilled. When God sees how pure your heart is toward your purpose, He will give you favor with Himself and favor with man. So much so, that people you don’t even know will unexpectedly come out of nowhere offering to help you! But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve. Jeremiah 17:10
- A Heart of Passion- When working towards fulfilling a need that is much bigger than your own, passion MUST rule over profit. There is just simply no other way! In the process of waiting to see the full manifestation of your efforts, the enemy will always come to kill, steal, and destroy your passion with impatience, greed, confusion, fear, and doubt! Therefore, you must protect your passion to serve, by hiding it deep within your heart. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23
- A Wise Heart- Let’s be honest, starting a charity is no problem, but maintaining it is no easy task. Not only do you need the heart of Christ, but you really need the mind of Christ too! A wise mind makes a wise heart. For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7 NKJV Most people start off really strong, but never last to see all the pieces of the puzzle become a masterpiece. There is a significant level of strength and patient endurance you must have to keep your vision going. And this can truly be accomplished if you have a wise heart. My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice! Proverbs 23:15 NLT
So let me ask you: How big is your heart? Whoever you are aiming to serve, whether it is battered women, the youth, the homeless, underprivileged communities, or people suffering from hard to cure infirmities, please know that you are blessed to be a blessing, and I am praying fervently for you. I pray that you never experience weariness and exhaustion during the hard, dry seasons. I pray that every ounce of virtue that has been poured out of your heart be returned back unto you in increasing measures. I pray that you will find your provisions and all the hidden treasures to help you pursue your purpose. And I pray a special Luke 6:38 blessing over your life, that your gift will return to you in full- pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. Amen! Your treasures are surely waiting on you...go find them!!
