All of Hobby Lobby's voting stock has already been put into a trust, and David Green is working out how to give away the company. In an op-ed on FoxNews.com, Green writes that every business owner must "ask the question of whether you are an owner or a steward – a manager of what you've been entrusted with." And as far as he is concerned, Hobby Lobby belongs to God.
Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist-Dallas says Green has his priorities straight.
"It all really begins with a basic attitude towards your wealth," he comments. "David believes that everything he has is a gift from Him – that he is a steward, not an owner."
Early in his business life, Green shares that he began feeling proud about his ability to earn money, thinking he had "the Midas touch." So when he almost lost his business, he realized and understood that "it's God who gives us the power to make wealth." Since then, he has kept God first.
"He demonstrated that throughout his career as the CEO of Hobby Lobby," Jeffress observes. "He would close his stores on Sundays, which would be the most profitable day of the week for his business. He paid his employees an above-average wage."
The Texas pastor adds that Green's attitude about money is based on his theology, so this decision is "the natural result of what David believes about the source of his wealth and the owner of his wealth."
As for others who may not have a $14-billion fortune to manage, Jeffress says there are some measures Christians can take to be good stewards of what money they have.
"The first thing to do is to regularly, daily express gratitude to God and verbally acknowledge that what you have is not yours; it belongs to God," he advises. "Secondly, make it a habit to give regularly a portion of your income to God's work through the Church."
