We revere our celebrities, don’t we? People Magazine, Star Weekly, even the National Enquirer found success dishing on the lives of the rich and famous.

You have probably heard it said that money is power. The truth is, money is potential power. Resources such as wealth and notoriety offer the holder great opportunities to do good. If we make a lot of money but only use it for ourselves, that will leave people feeling hollow and empty.

Over the course of my life I have been privileged to know some famous people. They have tremendous resources and access, yet to a person they are just normal people who haven’t forgotten how blessed they are. They are quietly charitable even though their lives are lived in the public eye. This is a testament to their character.

Recently, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez married in Italy. The cost of the wedding was estimated at $50 million. Some critics called out Bezos for the extravagance of it all. The critics failed to acknowledge the billions Bezos has given to worthy causes, including $100 million per year to provide free preschool. And think about what the wedding did for the local economy of Venice, Italy.

Money can seduce you if you aren’t careful. Don’t chase it and don’t worship it. Save your worship for God. He gives us everything good in our lives. It’s up to us to determine how we use it…