Friday, April 21, 2017
Yesterday, I wrote about the danger of making money when it becomes more important to us than God. I also added that it is not a sin as long as it remains in it’s proper place. If we are honest and objective, many bible heroes were extremely wealthy. We must keep this in mind, however: God prospered them because of other things in their lives, not because they strove to be rich. Such was the case with a dentist and Methodist minister by the name of Thomas Welch.
Over a hundred and fifty years ago, Dr. Welch, developed a non-alcoholic grape drink in the kitchen of his own home. He did so because he was opposed to the idea of using fermented wine in the church communion service. He named his invention "Dr. Welch’s Unfermented Wine." He approached church officials seeking approval to use his grape drink instead of the fermented wine for all communion services. They turned him down at first but later granted their approval. His son Charles, also a dentist, changed the name of his dad's product to "Welch's Grape Juice" and produced it in a barn behind his home. The rest is History! Today, Welch's Grape Juice is the best-known and biggest seller worldwide, and is used in most church communion services today as the representation of Jesus' Blood.
But consider the following: Dr. Welch did not make his grape drink to make money but rather to honor God. In fact, he advised his son only to start producing and selling the grape juice as a means to “make ends meet.” Apart from being a dentist and a minister, Dr. Welch was an active prohibitionist since he was fiercely opposed to the liquor industry and was also active in the Underground Railroad that transported escaped slaves from the south into Canada. I believe that the Lord therefore prospered his son and family later, not because they wanted to get rich but because of their desire to honor Him as well as help their fellow man.
God’s promise for today: (Proverbs 22:4 NLT) “True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.”
