Born 1931. Died October 09, 2023.

Charles (Chuck) Feeney has given away billions. I suspect Mr. Feeney is wealthier than the very rich man who came to Jesus searching for eternal life. Something tells me that even with all the allowances made for currency adjustments over the  2000 years – Chuck Feeney would still come out on top. Feeney also did what the rich man refused to do when challenged by Jesus.

As I write, Charles Feeney is closing in on 90 and reportedly in declining health. Some of the world’s wealthiest people aspire to be like him – including Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. But neither of these men has shunned fame and cherished obscurity the way Feeney has over the decades. Over the last forty years, he has quietly given away $8 billion. Secretly is perhaps a more accurate word.

Secret Philanthropist

Over the decades, he has given away 375,000% more money than his current net worth. For decades, his goal was to give all his money away before he died. In September 2020, he achieved that goal, and his foundation was officially closed and shuttered. (1)

He made his philanthropic donations anonymously whenever possible. He never wanted his name to be blazed about. No hand-shaking photographs with him holding an oversized cheque to aid a hospital or university. No plaques on walls or buildings named in his honour. In fact, benefactors like hospitals and universities were not allowed to reveal the source of their massive gifts. We only know about his substantial financial gifts because he was outed in a business deal, and “Forbes magazine and The New York Times uncovered his incredible generosity.” (2)

With a desire to help the Vietnamese after the war, he invested $382 million helping to improve Vietnam’s public health and education systems. When Northern Ireland was torn apart by sectarian violence, Feeney contributed over half a billion dollars to improve relations and encourage peace and promote education. He donated over $400 million to help heal the wounds of Apartheid in South Africa. His foundation generously supported racial and social equity causes and health research. The list of worthy causes is a long one.

“Many charities had no idea where the piles of money were coming from. Those that did were sworn to secrecy. The former president of Cornell University, Frank Rhodes said: “I had to convince the board of trustees that it was on the level, that there was nothing disreputable and this wasn’t Mafia money.” (3)

Ten Dollar Casio Watch

“Christopher Oechsli, who worked for Feeney for more than 30 years, said his boss had once tried to live a life of luxury, but it didn’t suit him. “He had nice places [homes] and nice things. He tried it on, and it wasn’t for him,” Oeschsli said. “He doesn’t own a place, doesn’t own a car. The stories of his frugality are true: he does have a $10 Casio watch and carries his papers in a plastic bag. That is him. That’s what he felt comfortable with, and that’s really who Chuck has been.” (4)

Feeney flew millions of kilometers in Economy seating because he said First Class didn’t get him to his destination any faster. He owns one pair of shoes because that’s all he can wear at any given time.

Influencer Andrew Carnegie

Feeney was greatly influenced by Andrew Carnegie’s essay The Gospel of Wealth. Sadly, Carnegie was hostile towards Christianity. He said: “Not only have I got rid of the theology and the supernatural, but I have found the truth in evolution…The whole scheme of Christian Salvation is diabolical. . . An angry God, I can’t imagine such a Creator of the universe. I decline to accept Salvation from such a fiend.” (5)

Andrew Carnegie died in 1919. A century later,  one must ask – does he now wish in eternity that he had embraced the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ during his lifetime – rather than the Gospel of Wealth?

 Rich Young Man and Eternal Life

The very rich young ruler who kicked up the dust running down the road to meet Jesus in search of eternal life was unwilling to part with his wealth to follow Jesus. Mr. Feeney, on the other hand, was willing to part with all his wealth but has never expressed an interest, at least publicly, in obtaining eternal life.

Although Mr. Feeney and the rich young ruler have successful endeavours and riches in common, the rich young ruler had, at least, a concern about life after death. The Bible records that he ran down the road in pursuit of Jesus to ask Him how to obtain eternal life.

As Jesus was starting out on His way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to Him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Mark 10:17

A man of wealth and privilege is rarely portrayed as anxiously running. But for some reason, this young man had eternal life on his mind. His interest in eternal life was sufficient to justify becoming a public spectacle. He grabbed his long robe and ran to meet Jesus.

As the Lord Jesus skillfully tested his sincerity and motives for wanting eternal life, the wealthy young man made the most consequential decision of his entire lifetime. His wealth and lifestyle were more important to him than becoming a follower of Christ and a possessor of eternal life. There was nothing flippant about his choice. He gave it solemn thought.

Eternal Life – Cost too High

As he weighed it up, the Lord Jesus looked at him, and the Bible records that “Jesus loved him.” Mark 10:21 But, that love was not reciprocated. The young man’s heart was wrapped-up with his riches. He loved them. They had first place in his life. The cost was too great to give Christ first place in his life.

Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  Mark 10:22

Feeney Wants to Die Poor

After a deep-dive into the stories and news articles written about Mr. Feeney over the years, we can find no indication of any desire on his part to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Feeney said: “I was raised as a Catholic, but I got up to go to church because I thought I’d be hit by a bolt of lightning if I didn’t.” Really, there is no information available publicly to suggest that God has been a major factor in his life.

Editor’s Note: Dear Mr. Feeney, if you happen to be reading this post, and if you haven’t already embraced Christ as your Saviour, I can assure you God still loves you, and Christ is still available to be your Saviour. Read in the Holy Bible: Matthew 11:28, John 14:6, Romans 5:6, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9 and 1Peter 2:24. I would love to meet you in Heaven.

Feeney obviously discovered that he could not take his wealth with him after death. Although a distant second, the next best thing would be to personally witness his wealth being used to aid worthy causes. “Giving while living” became his motto. One of his famous quotes was: “I want the last cheque I write to bounce.” In other words, he wants to die poor.

Humanly speaking, Mr. Feeney’s goal was noble, unselfish, most generous and worthy of praise. When his time comes to die,  he will get his wish; he will die relatively poor.

Dying Poor

However, the concern of this post is not whether one dies without a dollar but the tragedy of one dying without Christ. That is a poverty of another magnitude – the incomprehensible loss of losing one’s soul.

Jesus, who knew the value of the eternal soul, asked this question:

What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Mark 8:36-37

Spiritual Wealth

Your life’s earnings may never come close to that of Charles Feeney, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates or Andrew Carnegie, but you could die spiritually wealthy. A dirt-poor Christian is richer than the wealthiest philanthropist who never knew Christ as Saviour.

Tragically, Andrew Carnegie had a distorted view and gross misunderstanding of God. How did he miss this in the Bible?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17

It is one thing to lay down your money so others can be enriched and blessed. But the Lord Jesus Christ went infinitely further. He laid down His life on the cross for unworthy and guilty sinners. Yes, poor in our sins, but because of His poverty, we can be richly blessed in this life and be spiritually rich for eternity.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich. 2Corinthians 8:9

Questions for Reflection:

Even if one has no interest in God in this life but leaves behind them, at death, an impressive list of good works and acts of charity, could that possibly work in their favour in eternity? No. Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 2:16

Can you think of anything so important in your life that might cause you to turn away from Christ?

Sources:

1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2020/09/15/exclusive-the-billionaire-who-wanted-to-die-brokeis-now-officially-broke/?sh=bcd4fd33a2aa
2. https://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/niallodowd/chuck-feeney-finally-broke-happy-man
3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2012/09/18/chuck-feeney-the-billionaire-who-is-trying-to-go-broke/?sh=96e4e7d291c7
4. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/19/billionaire-chuck-feeney-achieves-goal-of-giving-away-his-fortune
5. http://iecn.com/the-philanthropy-of-carnegie/#:~:text=He%20completely%20rejected%20Christianity%20and,found%20the%20truth%20in%20evolution.%E2%80%9D