TED2006
Rick Warren: A life of purpose
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Pastor Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose-Driven Life," reflects on his own crisis of purpose in the wake of his book's wild success. He explains his belief that God's intention is for each of us to use our talents and influence to do good.
Rick Warren - Pastor, author
Pastor Rick Warren is the author of The Purpose-Driven Life, which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. His has become an immensely influential voice seeking to apply the values of his faith to issues such as global poverty, HIV/AIDS and injustice. Full bio
Pastor Rick Warren is the author of The Purpose-Driven Life, which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. His has become an immensely influential voice seeking to apply the values of his faith to issues such as global poverty, HIV/AIDS and injustice. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:26
I'm often asked,
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"What surprised you about the book?"
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And I say, "That I got to write it."
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I would have never imagined that.
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Not in my wildest dreams did I think --
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I don't even consider
myself to be an author.
myself to be an author.
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And I'm often asked,
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"Why do you think so many
people have read this?
people have read this?
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This thing's selling still
about a million copies a month."
about a million copies a month."
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And I think it's because
spiritual emptiness
spiritual emptiness
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is a universal disease.
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I think inside at some point, we put
our heads down on the pillow and we go,
our heads down on the pillow and we go,
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"There's got to be more
to life than this."
to life than this."
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Get up in the morning, go to work,
come home and watch TV,
come home and watch TV,
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go to bed, get up in the morning, go
to work, come home, watch TV, go to bed,
to work, come home, watch TV, go to bed,
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go to parties on weekends.
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A lot of people say, "I'm living." No,
you're not living -- that's just existing.
you're not living -- that's just existing.
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Just existing.
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I really think that
there's this inner desire.
there's this inner desire.
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I do believe what Chris said;
I believe that you're not an accident.
I believe that you're not an accident.
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Your parents may not have planned you,
but I believe God did.
but I believe God did.
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I think there are accidental parents;
there's no doubt about that.
there's no doubt about that.
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I don't think there are accidental kids.
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And I think you matter.
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I think you matter to God;
I think you matter to history;
I think you matter to history;
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I think you matter to this universe.
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And I think that the difference
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between what I call the survival level
of living, the success level of living,
of living, the success level of living,
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and the significance level of living is:
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Do you figure out,
"What on Earth am I here for?"
"What on Earth am I here for?"
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I meet a lot of people who are very smart,
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and say, "But why can't I
figure out my problems?"
figure out my problems?"
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And I meet a lot of people
who are very successful,
who are very successful,
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who say, "Why don't I feel more fulfilled?
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Why do I feel like a fake?
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Why do I feel like I've got to pretend
that I'm more than I really am?"
that I'm more than I really am?"
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I think that comes down to this issue
of meaning, of significance, of purpose.
of meaning, of significance, of purpose.
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I think it comes down to this issue of:
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"Why am I here? What am I here for?
Where am I going?"
Where am I going?"
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These are not religious issues.
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They're human issues.
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I wanted to tell Michael before he spoke
that I really appreciate what he does,
that I really appreciate what he does,
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because it makes my life work
a whole lot easier.
a whole lot easier.
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As a pastor, I do see a lot of kooks.
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And I have learned that there are
kooks in every area of life.
kooks in every area of life.
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Religion doesn't have a monopoly on that,
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but there are plenty of religious kooks.
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There are secular kooks;
there are smart kooks, dumb kooks.
there are smart kooks, dumb kooks.
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There are people -- a lady
came up to me the other day,
came up to me the other day,
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and she had a white piece of paper --
Michael, you'll like this one --
Michael, you'll like this one --
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and she said, "What do you see in it?"
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And I looked at it and I said,
"Oh, I don't see anything."
"Oh, I don't see anything."
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And she goes, "Well, I see Jesus,"
and started crying and left.
and started crying and left.
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I'm going, "OK," you know? "Fine."
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(Laughter)
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Good for you.
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When the book became the best-selling book
in the world for the last three years,
in the world for the last three years,
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I kind of had my little crisis.
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And that was: What is the purpose of this?
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Because it brought in
enormous amounts of money.
enormous amounts of money.
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When you write the best-selling
book in the world,
book in the world,
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it's tons and tons of money.
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And it brought in a lot of attention,
neither of which I wanted.
neither of which I wanted.
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When I started Saddleback Church,
I was 25 years old.
I was 25 years old.
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I started it with
one other family in 1980.
one other family in 1980.
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And I decided that I was never
going to go on TV,
going to go on TV,
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because I didn't want to be a celebrity.
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I didn't want to be a, quote,
"evangelist, televangelist" --
"evangelist, televangelist" --
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that's not my thing.
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And all of the sudden, it brought a lot
of money and a lot of attention.
of money and a lot of attention.
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I don't think --
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now, this is a worldview,
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and I will tell you,
everybody's got a worldview.
everybody's got a worldview.
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Everybody's betting
their life on something.
their life on something.
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You're betting your life on something,
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you just better know why
you're betting what you're betting on.
you're betting what you're betting on.
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So, everybody's betting
their life on something.
their life on something.
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And when I, you know, made a bet,
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I happened to believe
that Jesus was who he said he was.
that Jesus was who he said he was.
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And I believe in a pluralistic society,
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everybody's betting on something.
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And when I started the church,
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you know, I had no plans
to do what it's doing now.
to do what it's doing now.
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And then when I wrote this book,
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and all of a sudden, it just took off,
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and I started saying, now,
what's the purpose of this?
what's the purpose of this?
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Because as I started to say,
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I don't think you're given money or fame
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for your own ego, ever.
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I just don't believe that.
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And when you write a book
that the first sentence of the book is,
that the first sentence of the book is,
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"It's not about you,"
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then, when all of a sudden it becomes
the best-selling book in history,
the best-selling book in history,
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you've got to figure, well,
I guess it's not about me.
I guess it's not about me.
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That's kind of a no-brainer.
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So, what is it for?
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And I began to think about what I call
the "stewardship of affluence"
the "stewardship of affluence"
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and the "stewardship of influence."
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So I believe, essentially,
leadership is stewardship.
leadership is stewardship.
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That if you are a leader in any area --
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in business, in politics,
in sports, in art,
in sports, in art,
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in academics, in any area --
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you don't own it.
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You are a steward of it.
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For instance, that's why I believe
in protecting the environment.
in protecting the environment.
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This is not my planet.
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It wasn't mine before I was born,
it's not going to be mine after I die,
it's not going to be mine after I die,
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I'm just here for 80 years
and then that's it.
and then that's it.
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I was debating
the other day on a talk show,
the other day on a talk show,
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and the guy was challenging
me and he'd go,
me and he'd go,
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"What's a pastor doing
on protecting the environment?"
on protecting the environment?"
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And I asked this guy, I said,
"Well, do you believe
"Well, do you believe
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that human beings are responsible
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to make the world a little bit better
place for the next generation?
place for the next generation?
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Do you think we have a stewardship here,
to take the environment seriously?"
to take the environment seriously?"
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And he said, "No."
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I said, "Oh, you don't?"
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I said, "Let me make this clear again:
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Do you believe that as human beings --
I'm not talking about religion --
I'm not talking about religion --
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do you believe that as human beings,
it is our responsibility
it is our responsibility
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to take care of this planet,
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and make it just a little bit better
for the next generation?"
for the next generation?"
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And he said, "No. Not any more
than any other species."
than any other species."
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When he said the word "species,"
he was revealing his worldview.
he was revealing his worldview.
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And he was saying,
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"I'm no more responsible to take care
of this environment than a duck is."
of this environment than a duck is."
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Well now, I know a lot
of times we act like ducks,
of times we act like ducks,
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but you're not a duck.
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You're not a duck.
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And you are responsible --
that's my worldview.
that's my worldview.
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And so, you need to understand
what your worldview is.
what your worldview is.
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The problem is most people
never really think it through.
never really think it through.
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They never really ...
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codify it or qualify it or quantify it,
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and say, "This is what I believe in.
This is why I believe what I believe."
This is why I believe what I believe."
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I don't personally have
enough faith to be an atheist.
enough faith to be an atheist.
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But you may, you may.
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Your worldview, though, does determine
everything else in your life,
everything else in your life,
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because it determines your decisions;
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it determines your relationships;
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it determines your level of confidence.
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It determines, really,
everything in your life.
everything in your life.
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What we believe, obviously --
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and you know this --
determines our behavior,
determines our behavior,
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and our behavior determines
what we become in life.
what we become in life.
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So all of this money started pouring in,
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and all of this fame started pouring in.
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And I'm going, what do I do with this?
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My wife and I first made five decisions
on what to do with the money.
on what to do with the money.
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We said, "First, we're not
going to use it on ourselves."
going to use it on ourselves."
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I didn't go out and buy a bigger house.
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I don't own a guesthouse.
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I still drive the same four year-old
Ford that I've driven.
Ford that I've driven.
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We just said, we're not
going to use it on us.
going to use it on us.
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The second thing was,
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I stopped taking a salary
from the church that I pastor.
from the church that I pastor.
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Third thing is, I added up
all that the church had paid me
all that the church had paid me
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over the last 25 years,
and I gave it back.
and I gave it back.
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And I gave it back because
I didn't want anybody thinking
I didn't want anybody thinking
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that I do what I do for money -- I don't.
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In fact, personally, I've never met
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a priest or a pastor or a minister
who does it for money.
who does it for money.
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I know that's the stereotype;
I've never met one of them.
I've never met one of them.
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Believe me, there's a whole lot
easier ways to make money.
easier ways to make money.
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Pastors are like on 24 hours-a-day call,
they're like doctors.
they're like doctors.
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I left late today -- I'd hoped
to be here yesterday --
to be here yesterday --
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because my father-in-law
is in his last, probably, 48 hours
is in his last, probably, 48 hours
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before he dies of cancer.
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And I'm watching a guy
who's lived his life --
who's lived his life --
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he's now in his mid-80s --
and he's dying with peace.
and he's dying with peace.
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You know, the test of your worldview
is not how you act in the good times.
is not how you act in the good times.
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The test of your worldview
is how you act at the funeral.
is how you act at the funeral.
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And having been through literally
hundreds if not thousands of funerals,
hundreds if not thousands of funerals,
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it makes a difference.
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It makes a difference what you believe.
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So, we gave it all back,
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and then we set up three foundations,
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working on some of the major
problems of the world:
problems of the world:
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illiteracy, poverty, pandemic diseases --
particularly HIV/AIDS --
particularly HIV/AIDS --
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and set up these three foundations,
and put the money into that.
and put the money into that.
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The last thing we did is we became
what I call "reverse tithers."
what I call "reverse tithers."
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And that is, when my wife
and I got married 30 years ago,
and I got married 30 years ago,
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we started tithing.
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Now, that's a principle in the Bible
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that says give 10 percent
of what you get back to charity,
of what you get back to charity,
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give it away to help other people.
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So, we started doing that, and each year
we would raise our tithe one percent.
we would raise our tithe one percent.
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So, our first year of marriage
we went to 11 percent,
we went to 11 percent,
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second year we went to 12 percent,
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and the third year we went to 13 percent,
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and on and on and on.
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Why did I do that?
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Because every time I give,
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it breaks the grip
of materialism in my life.
of materialism in my life.
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Materialism is all about getting --
get, get, get, get all you can,
get, get, get, get all you can,
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can all you get, sit on the can
and spoil the rest.
and spoil the rest.
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It's all about more, having more.
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And we think that the good life
is actually looking good --
is actually looking good --
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that's most important of all --
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looking good, feeling good
and having the goods.
and having the goods.
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But that's not the good life.
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I meet people all the time who have
those, and they're not necessarily happy.
those, and they're not necessarily happy.
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If money actually made you happy,
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then the wealthiest people
in the world would be the happiest.
in the world would be the happiest.
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And that I know, personally,
I know, is not true.
I know, is not true.
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It's just not true.
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So, the good life is not about looking
good, feeling good or having the goods,
good, feeling good or having the goods,
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it's about being good and doing good.
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Giving your life away.
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Significance in life
doesn't come from status,
doesn't come from status,
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because you can always find
somebody who's got more than you.
somebody who's got more than you.
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It doesn't come from sex.
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It doesn't come from salary.
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It comes from serving.
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It is in giving our lives away
that we find meaning,
that we find meaning,
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we find significance.
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That's the way we were wired,
I believe, by God.
I believe, by God.
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And so we began to give away,
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and now after 30 years,
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my wife and I are reverse tithers --
we give away 90 percent and live on 10.
we give away 90 percent and live on 10.
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That, actually, was the easy part.
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The hard part is, what do I do
with all this attention?
with all this attention?
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Because I started getting
all kinds of invitations.
all kinds of invitations.
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I just came off a nearly
month-long speaking tour
month-long speaking tour
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12:19
on three different continents,
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12:21
and I won't go into that,
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12:23
but it was an amazing thing.
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1963
12:26
And I'm going, what do I do
with this notoriety
with this notoriety
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12:30
that the book has brought?
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12:32
And, being a pastor,
I started reading the Bible.
I started reading the Bible.
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12:36
There's a chapter in the Bible
called Psalm 72,
called Psalm 72,
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2769
12:39
and it's Solomon's prayer
for more influence.
for more influence.
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3745
12:43
When you read this prayer,
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1804
12:45
it sounds incredibly
selfish, self-centered.
selfish, self-centered.
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12:49
He says, "God, I want you
to make me famous."
to make me famous."
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12:51
That's what he prays.
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1440
12:53
He said, "I want you to make me famous.
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12:54
I want you to spread the fame
of my name through every land,
of my name through every land,
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12:57
I want you to give me power.
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13:01
I want you to make me famous,
I want you to give me influence."
I want you to give me influence."
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13:04
And it just sounds like the most
egotistical request you could make,
egotistical request you could make,
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13:08
if you were going to pray.
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1324
13:10
Until you read the whole psalm,
the whole chapter.
the whole chapter.
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13:13
And then he says,
"So that the king ..." --
"So that the king ..." --
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13:15
he was the king of Israel
at that time, at its apex in power --
at that time, at its apex in power --
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4787
13:20
"... so that the king may care
for the widow and orphan,
for the widow and orphan,
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13:24
support the oppressed, defend
the defenseless, care for the sick,
the defenseless, care for the sick,
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13:28
assist the poor,
speak up for the foreigner,
speak up for the foreigner,
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13:32
those in prison."
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1976
13:34
Basically, he's talking about
all the marginalized in society.
all the marginalized in society.
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13:37
And as I read that,
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13:39
I looked at it, and I thought, you know,
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13:42
what this is saying is that the purpose
of influence is to speak up
of influence is to speak up
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13:46
for those who have no influence.
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13:50
The purpose of influence
is not to build your ego.
is not to build your ego.
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2689
13:55
Or your net worth.
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1152
13:57
And, by the way, your net worth is not
the same thing as your self-worth.
the same thing as your self-worth.
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3652
14:00
Your value is not based on your valuables.
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3720
14:06
It's based on a whole
different set of things.
different set of things.
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2297
14:08
And so the purpose
of influence is to speak up
of influence is to speak up
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3105
14:11
for those who have no influence.
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1540
14:13
And I had to admit:
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1914
14:15
I can't think of the last time
I thought of widows and orphans.
I thought of widows and orphans.
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14:18
They're not on my radar.
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2100
14:21
I pastor a church in one of the most
affluent areas of America --
affluent areas of America --
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3188
14:24
a bunch of gated communities.
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1857
14:26
I have a church full
of CEOs and scientists.
of CEOs and scientists.
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2588
14:30
And I could go five years and never,
ever see a homeless person.
ever see a homeless person.
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14:35
They're just not in my pathway.
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1976
14:37
Now, they're 13 miles
up the road in Santa Ana.
up the road in Santa Ana.
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2815
14:41
So I had to say, ok,
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2109
14:44
I would use whatever affluence
and whatever influence I've got
and whatever influence I've got
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14:47
to help those who don't have
either of those.
either of those.
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3570
14:52
You know, there's a story
in the Bible about Moses,
in the Bible about Moses,
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14:55
whether you believe it's true or not,
it really doesn't matter to me.
it really doesn't matter to me.
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3579
14:58
But Moses, if you saw the movie,
"The Ten Commandments,"
"The Ten Commandments,"
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2640
15:01
Moses goes out, and there's this
burning bush, and God talks to him,
burning bush, and God talks to him,
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3283
15:04
and God says,
"Moses, what's in your hand?"
"Moses, what's in your hand?"
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3755
15:10
I think that's one of the most important
questions you'll ever be asked:
questions you'll ever be asked:
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3841
15:14
What's in your hand?
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1327
15:16
Moses says, "It's a staff.
It's a shepherd's staff."
It's a shepherd's staff."
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4163
15:21
And God says, "Throw it down."
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15:22
And if you saw the movie, you know,
he throws it down and it becomes a snake.
he throws it down and it becomes a snake.
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4713
15:29
And then God says, "Pick it up."
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2176
15:32
And he picks it back up again,
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1824
15:34
and it becomes a staff again.
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2620
15:37
Now, I'm reading this thing,
and I'm going, what is that all about?
and I'm going, what is that all about?
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3762
15:41
OK. What's that all about? Well,
I do know a couple of things.
I do know a couple of things.
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3313
15:44
Number one, God never does
a miracle to show off.
a miracle to show off.
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3115
15:48
It's not just, "Wow, isn't that cool?"
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2043
15:50
And, by the way, my God doesn't
have to show up on cheese bread.
have to show up on cheese bread.
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3215
15:53
You know, if God's going to show up,
he's not going to show up on cheese bread.
he's not going to show up on cheese bread.
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3895
15:57
(Laughter)
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15:59
Ok? I just, this is why I love
what Michael does,
what Michael does,
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2875
16:01
because it's like, if he's debunking it,
then I don't have to.
then I don't have to.
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4658
16:06
But God -- my God --
doesn't show up on sprinkler images.
doesn't show up on sprinkler images.
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3448
16:10
He's got a few more powerful ways
than that to do whatever he wants to do.
than that to do whatever he wants to do.
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4216
16:15
But he doesn't do miracles
just to show off.
just to show off.
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16:18
Second thing is,
if God ever asks you a question,
if God ever asks you a question,
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16:20
he already knows the answer.
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1573
16:22
Obviously, if he's God,
then that would mean
then that would mean
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2217
16:24
that when he asks the question,
it's for your benefit, not his.
it's for your benefit, not his.
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3680
16:28
So he's going, "What's in your hand?"
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1861
16:30
Now, what was in Moses' hand?
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1464
16:32
Well, it was a shepherd's staff.
Now, follow me on this.
Now, follow me on this.
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3000
16:36
This staff represented
three things about Moses' life.
three things about Moses' life.
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3405
16:39
First, it represented his identity;
he was a shepherd.
he was a shepherd.
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3539
16:43
It's the symbol of his own occupation:
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3299
16:46
I am a shepherd.
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1301
16:48
It's a symbol of his identity,
his career, his job.
his career, his job.
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2757
16:51
Second, it's a symbol
of not only his identity,
of not only his identity,
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3150
16:54
it's a symbol of his income, because all
of his assets are tied up in sheep.
of his assets are tied up in sheep.
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4155
16:58
In those days, nobody had bank accounts,
or American Express cards, or hedge funds.
or American Express cards, or hedge funds.
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4397
17:03
Your assets are tied up in your flocks.
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2714
17:06
So it's a symbol of his identity,
and it's a symbol of his income.
and it's a symbol of his income.
314
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3682
17:09
And the third thing:
it's a symbol of his influence.
it's a symbol of his influence.
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2643
17:13
What do you do with a shepherd's staff?
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1008348
3307
17:16
Well, you know, you move sheep
from point A to point B with it,
from point A to point B with it,
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3753
17:20
by hook or by crook.
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1641
17:22
You pull them or you poke them.
One or the other.
One or the other.
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3048
17:26
So, he's saying,
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1928
17:28
"You're going to lay down your identity.
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2039
17:30
What's in your hand?
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1155
17:31
You've got identity, you've got income,
you've got influence.
you've got influence.
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1026599
2873
17:34
What's in your hand?"
324
1029496
1157
17:36
And he's saying, "If you lay it down,
I'll make it come alive.
I'll make it come alive.
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2929
17:39
I'll do some things
you could never imagine possible."
you could never imagine possible."
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1034451
2575
17:42
And if you've watched that movie,
"Ten Commandments,"
"Ten Commandments,"
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2494
17:44
all of those big miracles that happen
in Egypt are done through this staff.
in Egypt are done through this staff.
328
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4480
17:51
Last year, I was invited to speak
at the NBA All-Stars game.
at the NBA All-Stars game.
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5055
17:56
And so, I'm talking to the players,
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3036
18:00
because most of the NBA teams,
NFL teams and all the other teams
NFL teams and all the other teams
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1055000
4301
18:04
have done this 40 Days of Purpose,
based on the book.
based on the book.
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2849
18:07
And I asked them, I said,
"What's in your hand?
"What's in your hand?
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3492
18:12
So, what's in your hand?"
I said, "It's a basketball.
I said, "It's a basketball.
334
1067392
3177
18:16
And that basketball represents
your identity, who you are:
your identity, who you are:
335
1071411
3717
18:20
you're an NBA player.
336
1075152
1474
18:21
It represents your income:
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1572
18:23
you're making a lot of money
off that little ball.
off that little ball.
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2579
18:26
And it represents your influence.
339
1081182
1818
18:28
And even though you're only going
to be in the NBA for a few years,
to be in the NBA for a few years,
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3307
18:31
you're going to be an NBA player
for the rest of your life.
for the rest of your life.
341
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2787
18:34
And that gives you enormous influence.
342
1089787
2095
18:37
So, what are you going to do
with what you've been given?"
with what you've been given?"
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3275
18:41
And I guess that's the main reason
I came up here today,
I came up here today,
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4489
18:46
to all of you very bright people at TED --
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1101298
2929
18:49
it is to say, "What's in your hand?"
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1897
18:53
What do you have that you've been given?
347
1108156
3519
18:57
Talent, background, education,
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1112606
3370
19:01
freedom, networks, opportunities,
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4159
19:05
wealth, ideas, creativity.
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3543
19:08
What are you doing
with what you've been given?
with what you've been given?
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4049
19:12
That, to me, is the primary
question about life.
question about life.
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3890
19:16
That, to me, is what being
purpose-driven is all about.
purpose-driven is all about.
353
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3082
19:20
In the book, I talk about
how you're wired to do certain things,
how you're wired to do certain things,
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1135999
3204
19:24
you're "SHAPED" with -- a little acrostic:
Spiritual gifts, Heart,
Spiritual gifts, Heart,
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1139227
3669
19:27
Ability, Personality and Experiences.
356
1142920
2388
19:30
These things shape you.
357
1145332
1644
19:32
And if you want to know what you ought
to be doing with your life,
to be doing with your life,
358
1147420
3124
19:35
you need to look at your shape --
"What am I wired to do?"
"What am I wired to do?"
359
1150568
2737
19:38
Why would God wire you to do something
and then not have you do it?
and then not have you do it?
360
1153329
3318
19:41
If you're wired to be an anthropologist,
you'll be an anthropologist.
you'll be an anthropologist.
361
1156671
3248
19:44
If you're wired to be
an undersea explorer,
an undersea explorer,
362
1159943
2008
19:46
you'll be an undersea explorer.
363
1161975
1492
19:48
If you're wired to make deals,
you make deals.
you make deals.
364
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2166
19:50
If you're wired to paint, you paint.
365
1165681
1959
19:53
Did you know that God smiles
when you be you?
when you be you?
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1168355
2645
19:57
When my little kids --
when my kids were little --
when my kids were little --
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1172574
2347
19:59
they're all grown now, I have grandkids --
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1174945
2007
20:01
I used to go in and sit
on the side of their bed,
on the side of their bed,
369
1176976
2312
20:04
and I used to watch my kids sleep.
370
1179312
1768
20:07
And I just watched their little bodies
rise and lower, rise and lower.
rise and lower, rise and lower.
371
1182152
5446
20:12
And I would look at them:
"This is not an accident."
"This is not an accident."
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2855
20:15
Rise and lower.
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1706
20:18
And I got joy out of just
watching them sleep.
watching them sleep.
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1193247
3753
20:24
Some people have the misguided idea
that God only gets excited
that God only gets excited
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1199000
3567
20:27
when you're doing, quote,
"spiritual things,"
"spiritual things,"
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1202591
2120
20:29
like going to church or helping the poor,
377
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2713
20:32
or, you know, confessing
or doing something like that.
or doing something like that.
378
1207472
3353
20:36
The bottom line is, God gets pleasure
watching you be you.
watching you be you.
379
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4358
20:40
Why? He made you.
380
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1404
20:42
And when you do what you were made to do,
381
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2397
20:45
he goes, "That's my boy! That's my girl!
382
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4047
20:49
You're using the talent
and ability that I gave you."
and ability that I gave you."
383
1224382
3385
20:53
So my advice to you is:
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1880
20:55
look at what's in your hand --
385
1230417
1730
20:57
your identity, your influence,
your income --
your income --
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3539
21:01
and say, "It's not about me.
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1236861
2503
21:04
It's about making the world
a better place."
a better place."
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3040
21:08
Thank you.
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1150
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Rick Warren - Pastor, authorPastor Rick Warren is the author of The Purpose-Driven Life, which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. His has become an immensely influential voice seeking to apply the values of his faith to issues such as global poverty, HIV/AIDS and injustice.
Why you should listen
Pastor Rick Warren is one of the world's most influential Christians. His Saddleback Church, founded in 1980, boasts a congregation of 22,000, and his Purpose-Driven Life is one of the best-selling books of all time. Warren's mission is to attack what he calls the five "Global Goliaths" -- spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic disease, and illiteracy and poor education.
He teaches that doing good is the only way humans create significance in our lives. He and his wife famously became "reverse tithers," donating 90 percent of their considerable fortune to philanthropic causes. Warren is particularly passionate about fighting AIDS, and in 2006, his church hosted the second annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church, attended by US Senator Barack Obama, among others (controversial within the evangelical movement, because Obama is pro-choice).
In recent years, Warren has become a prominent steward of social justice, speaking out on poverty relief and encouraging spiritual leaders to play a role in guiding the planet toward sustainability. (He even attended the premiere of An Inconvenient Truth, after meeting Al Gore and producer Lawrence Bender at TED2006.)
Given his global focus and considerable platform, Warren has become a sought-after advisor to world leaders, speaking at the United Nations, the World Economic Forum and the Council on Foreign Relations. His involvement in the 2008 Presidential election sparked controversy and praise from both sides; during the campaign trail, he hosted candidates John McCain and Barack Obama at Saddleback Church for a forum on moral issues. It was the first time McCain and Obama appeared together publicly as presidential candidates. When Barack Obama was later elected to office, he asked Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration.
Rick Warren | Speaker | TED.com