CEO and a Bum
November 10, 2008 • Personal Growth
I recently spent two days with a CEO friend, whom we will call Robert for this recount. His story is powerful. It is about how one man has not given up on a person that most have written off.
Robert is the CEO of his family manufacturing company in small town America. He has led a company that has received accolades and awards for its innovation and its values. He has earned the success he has received in his business.
What I noticed on a recent two day golf outing to Pebble Beach, was Robert’s meekness and humility. Robert has seen a lot in his lifetime. He has sailed around the world, lived in Asia, dove the best reefs in the world and has a great family. Yet, it never seems that his business and his successes are about him because they truly are not. Robert uses his business to help others. He has truly given it all away for years. What he has given is more than money, however. Robert has given of himself. Of course, he has given more to more people than the average CEO, but it is about much more to Robert. He has given himself away and actually given away what God has given him - wisdom, patience, love.
One account of this is Robert’s patience with a homeless man. For the past 10 plus years Robert has been exponentially giving to a man that is not easy to help. This “bum” as many would call him has been addicted to alcohol for over 30 years. Every person has given up on this man, except for Robert. He has simply given. He has given of his time, his money, his reputation and his heart to truly help this man.
I asked Robert how he could give so much grace to this man who has wronged him numerous times. His response was simple “God has given me a patience for this unlovable guy. I asked God for help loving the unlovable and he made it happen for me.” He went on to say, “helping this guy has changed the way I view everyone.”
Loving the unlovable. Helping others that don’t repay you. This is more than ‘paying it forward’ - this is about loving others.
I must say that you don’t hear this type of talk from a typically CEO. For Robert it isn’t about accolades or good deeds. He really cares for this man as a part of his family, even after he has stolen, manipulated and lied to him. Robert finished the conversation by explaining how he gets nervous if he hasn’t heard from him in a week. He stated that they normally talk every couple of days or so. Most of the time this homeless man is drunk while they talk.
As you read this story you may get the picture of a successful CEO helping a down and out ragged man pushing a shopping cart. What I haven’t shared with you is that this homeless “bum” inherited a multi-million dollar trust fund in his early twenties and lost everything he had in his drunken, heart-broken days.
Robert has simply showed mercy to this one time ‘successful’ man. This man could have been you or me. Imagine if it was and there was only one man who gave you grace and mercy. To Robert he is simply being a conduit of God’s grace and mercy and patience and love to this man who has lost himself in alcohol and insecurity and weakness. Thank God for Robert. Thank God for this homeless man.
We need more CEOs like this.
1 Comment
Jennifer Hudson said...
I have been very blessed by this article, Jeremie, thanks for taking the time to write it…to remind me about HIS grace that is limitless, and how I should be living it out every day!
Comment by Jennifer Hudson - Nov 11, 2008 @ 01:05 PM