Bill Gates is still America’s richest man
Forbes magazine’s list of the 400 richest Americans was just recently released, and was topped by Bill Gates. Second was none other than my favorite billionaire Warren Buffett.
This is the first year that you need over a billion to get on the list. In fact, the lowest on the “400 totem pole” had a net worth of $1.3 billion, up $300 million from last year.
I was pleased to hear a few months back that Warren Buffett had announced that he would be giving away the vast majority of his wealth to Bill Gates charity. From what I have read Bill Gates is very generous as well.
It is so good to see that the two richest Americans are actively trying to make the world a better place by giving. This just goes to show that money is NOT the root of all evil. It is the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10) and people who are motivated by a calling or by a cause often aren’t concerned with money.
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
-Winston Churchill
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Good to see they give so much, but for the billions of other people not on the list: Think what the other 5-6 billion people on this world could do if we could all give $100.00US in the same week.
The world would be so flush with contributions that all charities would be scrambling to find people to help.
We can make a greater contribution to the world than both of these guys together!
snappyfrog
Warren Buffett gave very little (relatively speaking, of course) to charity until his recent huge gift to the Gates Foundation. His rationale was that he could grow his money more effectively if he held on to it, thus making for a larger (eventual) gift. He was right. So in a way, it could be argued that Bill Gates is making a mistake by giving so much to charity at this stage in his life. Perhaps his wealth could be better served creating more jobs and more wealth through investment, compounding his massive wealth, for an eventual mammoth gift at an older age, like Buffett.
@Snappyfrog
you are right – after all, “many hands make light work”
@Jason Dean
You bring up an interesting point -
I have always been pleased with these two billionaires for giving away so much dough to charities. I look forward to the kingdom getting a little slice of that pie.
Your site is excellent. Keep on preaching this stuff so you can give a few billion away to the kingdom one day.
@bamboo
agreed – thanks!!