Ron DeSantis

I read Ron DeSantis's book The Courage to be Free. At this point I don't want to talk about his politics; there is something else that struck me in reading this book: He graduated from Yale and Harvard Law School. With these degrees he could have earned big money in law or finance. Nonetheless, he chose to serve his country in the Navy as a military prosecutor. Then, without any background for a political career, he stumbled more or less into politics eventually becoming the Governor of Florida and is running now for President of the United States.

For me, Ron DeSantis's story is an amazing example of what can happen if someone resists the temptation to simply follow the path that leads to the most money but instead tries to discover his own calling. For most people in his situation the next logical step would have been to make use of his degrees to earn as much money as possible. If he would have done so, he would have had achieved a lot for him personally, but he would have never had the chance to change his country as he has as Governor and possible future President.

In this context Jesus words about money come to mind: "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Serving God may sometimes mean letting go of a good opportunity to earn a lot of money, but it is the only way to discover your real calling and to find true fulfilment.