What Would You Do if Someone Gave You $5 Billion? A Look at Our Education Department and our New Secretary of Education: Betsy DeVos. We are Called to be Kingdom Philanthropists

LISTEN NOW! (or WATCH FULL PROGRAM!) One of the most recent appointed and elected cabinet members in the Trump Administration is the Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos. Her position as Secretary of Education puts her in charge of over 65,800,000 students. That makes up more than 21% of America’s population. What exactly is a philanthropist? The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money to good causes”. When we begin to look at her background and her family’s history, we begin to see and understand how she and her family have become what they are today.

Her family comes from a deep history of business owners and philanthropy. Her family is worth $5.1 Billion. Her father-in-law, Richard DeVos, owns the NBA team, The Orlando Magic, and is also a co-founder of the company, Amway. Her father invented the “Lighted Sun Visor” design that is in many automobiles today. In addition, she and her husband created the Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation. Amidst the many successes and achievements that she has accomplished in her life, she has now accepted the role to lead our Education Department in a new direction for America.

When she responded to the nomination of Secretary of Education, she was on the receiving end of continual venomous attacks and criticism from the media, and from individuals in Washington. Amidst these many attacks and criticism, she responded humbly and walked through this season with the willingness to serve our nation in the area of education. These attacks had no effect on her. When she recently spoke at 2017 CPAC, she shared these encouraging words, “You may have heard the wonderful things the media has called me lately. I however, pride myself on being called a mother, a grandmother, a life partner of 38 years…My job isn’t to win a popularity contest with the media or the education establishment here in Washington. My job as Secretary of Education is to work for students.” DeVos and her family have nothing to lose. She doesn’t have to accept this nomination. She can quit at any time and return to what she was doing before.

Those who have an agenda don’t like DeVos because they cannot control her with their money or their accusations. We have to wonder why so many people can be against her considering her willingness to do what’s best for our next generation of students? Who would want to deprive people from getting an education? It matters how we are training up our children. But, surprisingly enough, not everyone’s focus in our Education Department is for the children.

As the previous General Counsel for the National Education Association (NEA), Bob Chanin, spoke about the true motive behind the NEA when he shared at the 2009 NEA General Assembly these startling words, “NEA and its affiliates are such effective advocates. Despite what some among us would like to believe, it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children and it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child.” Chanin then begins to address the heart of the matters. “NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power and we have power because there are more than 3.2 million people who are willing to pay us hundreds of millions of dollars in dues each year because they believe that we are the unions that can most effectively represent them, the unions that could protect their rights and advance their interests as education employees.” It would seem as Chanin is not the only one with these alarming views as a moment of this event turns from Chanin’s words to the eruption of applause from those attending and listening to his words. He openly stated that it has nothing to do with our children? Really?

Now, it is important to note and remember that not every teacher in America is in the Teacher’s Union. Our teachers do not need the Teacher’s Union in order to be properly represented by God. If you need someone to represent you then look to Jesus Christ to represent you. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart”. We are training our children up in the wrong way. When we see this open display of wrong ideas, we can see clearly that the power to decide the direction of education should not be decided by a union, or even the teachers; but by the parents of the children themselves. When parents are, in fact hoping for is a better opportunity for their child to receive an education, as in the opportunity to enroll their child in a charter school, they are met with picketers shouting and chanting, “DON’T BE FOOLED! ABORT CHARTER SCHOOLS!”

So what about us? What about the Church? Betsy DeVos understands who she is. Otherwise she would not be able to walk through such venomous accusation and criticism unharmed and unfettered. Do you know who your Father is? Do you know who you are in Christ Jesus? When we read Genesis 1, we see that mankind was created in God’s image. God desires for us to walk in the same confidence and assurance that Betsy DeVos is walking in. Yes, her family is worth $5.1 Billion, but our Father in Heaven not only owns all the wealth in existence, He created it. As Betsy has the ability to sow wealth into those around her, we have been given the powerful message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all of those around us. Betsy DeVos is a Philanthropist. If we have given our lives to Jesus Christ, then we are Kingdom Philanthropists.

Why would we want to support a failing school? The parents of each of our children know exactly what is best for each individual student. We are seeing just how deep the roots of our current Education System go. It is going to take all of us to turn the direction of our Education System. The nomination and establishment of Betsy DeVos as our Secretary of Education is a powerful answer to prayer for our schools. We cannot sit idly by and see what she does. It is going to take all of us to support her and do what is best for our children.

Be encouraged as you get an inside perspective of Betsy DeVos, her encouraging life of philanthropy and leadership, how important it is to affect our schools and education for the next generation, as well as seeing yourself as a Kingdom Philanthropist, and so much more. Also, shared in this segment: 7 Mountains of Culture, Adolf Hitler, lies, charter schools, public schools, Forbes, charitable giving, contributions, Edgar Prince, manipulation, control, and school districts. Greg and Steve shared in this segment.
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