In continuing my thoughts on Keith Green, I think the next important take away for us is to tell the truth, and do it with passion. You may offend people, and you might even at times be very wrong, and Keith covered both of those. He offended often and pulled no punches because he knew it was more important to tell people the truth. Of course the other part of that is having enough humility to admit when you’re wrong. Keith did that too.
If that scares you and you’re convinced you can’t make a living that way, then you should flip to the end of No Compromise (affiliate link) and note how well they were actually doing financially. The book doesn’t come out and give an amount, but after Keith’s death, Melody, his widow, was able to write a rather large check to YWAM.
The point is, tell the truth, with passion, and some humility and it will pay off, monetarily and otherwise.

I’m up tonight, not able to sleep, and thinking about one of the most meaningful books I ever read growing up – No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green (affiliate link).

I could go on and about how it moved me and how much I looked up to Keith. He was a man who truly lived the way I still aspire to live – with no illusions about life – as the title puts it, no compromise. He believed fully and lived honestly. He lived in defiance of fear. He poured his life out on a regular basis and inspired at least two generations to really follow Jesus in an uncompromising way.

Specifically, though, for those of you wanting to make it doing what you love, he really did do just that to a degree that few really do – he continually gave it away. He was famous for refusing to sell tickets to his concerts and relying on “love offerings” taken up at the concert. He also had a “pay what you can” policy with his records, even if “what you can” was zero. It didn’t make him rich and not very famous, by most standards (though he’s still a legend among the Christian community) but he was also able to support himself and his family while doing something he absolutely loved.

I’m not saying you have to do it exactly the same way, except in this respect – believe in what you’re doing enough that you can give it away freely. I give the disclaimer that trying to do this without a relationship with God is pointless and empty. Please feel free to email me on that point any time at nathanael@freeweaverconsulting.com if you want to talk about that point.

In the end, though, if you really want to be successful in what you do, remember Keith Green’s example and learn to give it away.

I just wanted to pay quick tribute to beauty for its own sake.

Beauty is worth working for and worth fighting for.

When you create something worth selling, please don’t forget to pay attention to the beauty it adds to the word.

Really, if what you’re doing as a business owner – an inventor or service provider or artist doesn’t add to the beauty of the world in some sense, what’s the point? What better service can you be to the world?