God is in Control
According to Merriam Webster, the definition of the word “hobby” is a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation.
Few people are not familiar with the chain Hobby Lobby. As of yesterday evening, the news has been buzzing with regard to an email termination notice sent out not by the owner, David Green – but rather from the vice president of the company’s art and creative division, Darsee Lett wrote, “It is with a tremendously broken heart that I’ve been forced to take these unimaginable actions, and I genuinely hope you know that my prayers are with you and your family.” Lett added, “It has been such an honor having you on my Team. I truly and deeply appreciate your service to this Department and the Company, and with you the very best as this calamity hopefully ends in the very near future.” The layoffs and store closures come after Hobby Lobby CEO David Green issued a memo to employees, stating that while he does not know what the future holds for the business, everyone will have to “tighten” their belts. He also stated that “God is in control” of the situation. (Andrew, 2020)
To understand the magnitude of this, it is best to look at the history of Hobby Lobby:
In 1972, David Green opened the first Hobby Lobby store in northwest Oklahoma City. Green left his supervisor position with variety store TG&Y, to open a second Hobby Lobby in Oklahoma City in 1975. He opened an additional store in Tulsa, Oklahoma the next year. Hobby Lobby grew to seven stores by mid 1982, and the first store outside Oklahoma opened in 1984.
By late-1992, the chain had grown to 50 locations in seven U.S. states. By October 2003, the number had grown to 310 locations.
As of 2018, the chain has more than 800 locations nationwide. (Wikipedia, 2020)
Salaries within Hobby Lobby range from $10.89 per hour for cashiers to $17.00 for asset managers with Assistant Store Managers at $16.41 per hour. Store Managers earn a salary of just under $51,000 per year. David Green’s net worth is estimated to be $6.5 billion.
Written in a Forbes Article from 2012, it was highlighted that David Green insists God is the true owner of his $3 billion arts and crafts chain. Acting as His disciple, Green has become the largest evangelical benefactor in the world—with plans for unprecedented gifts once he’s in heaven.
In the U.S. Green’s wealth produces the physical underpinnings of dozens of churches and Christian universities. It began in 1999, with a former V.A. hospital building in Little Rock, Ark. that he purchased for $600,000 and converted into a church. Green has since spent over $300 million donating about 50 properties. The word is out: Ministries approach him constantly with proposals for their new church or Christian community center–only one in ten is chosen. He won’t help them unless they pass a doctrinal vetting process, which includes questions about the Virgin Birth. Even well-known pastor Rick Warren needed to pass Green’s muster before the billionaire handed his Saddleback Church a 170-acre ranch property last August to use as a retreat. (Solomon, 2012)
So, it would seem that David Green has appointed himself God’s right-hand man here on earth; doling out wealth to those he deems to be worthy of doing God’s work.
This author does not claim to be a student of the Bible. That being said, it took all of twelve seconds to look up and find an appropriate Bible verse for this action:
James 2:14-17
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (OpenBible, 2020)
What is most important to this author in this scenario is that due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the steps that have been taken to try to control this from becoming even worse included shutting churches doors to avoid group assembly. Churches began closing and offering services via stream over the internet in the beginning of March. So the time, money and energy (to say nothing of judgement) exercised by Mr. Green to erect these shrines to honor not only God but his own righteousness and worthiness of God’s favor, are now deemed meaningless and cannot be utilized by the public for its own safety. Conversely, the wealth and ability he controls to help those employed in this organization he has chosen to direct elsewhere and abandon those in need.
To you, Mr. Green, I say this:
Proverbs 21:13
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered. (OpenBible, 2020)
I too believe that God is in control. I pray for you sir!
R-O-A-R!!!!!!
References:
Andrew, Stephen – March 30, 2020, Entertainment Tonight, retrieved from the world wide web on March 31, 2020 from https://popculture.com/trending/2020/03/30/donald-trump-talks-about-hair-during-coronavirus-drawing-big-reactions-viewers/#7
Hobby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hobby. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020 from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hobby
OpenBible, Retrieved on March 31, 2020 from the world wide web from https://www.openbible.info/topics/helping_others
Solomon, Brian, September 18, 2012, retrieved from the world wide web on March 31, 2020 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2012/09/18/david-green-the-biblical-billionaire-backing-the-evangelical-movement/#78fdec615807
Wikipedia, Retrieved from the world wide web on March 31, 2020 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_Lobby