Trust Accounts

by Dr. James W. Jackson
Founder, Project C.U.R.E.
Author, The Happiest Man in the World: Life Lessons from a Cultural Economist

Black’s Law Dictionary defines a “TRUST” as “A right of property, real or personal, held by one party for the benefit of another. A confidence reposed in one person who is termed trustee, for the benefit of another . . . Any arrangement whereby property is transferred with intention that it be administered by trustee for another’s benefit.”

Is it possible that all I possess has been given to me . . . and I am simply a “Trustee” . . . it was all deposited into my “Trust Account” to be distributed out to others in order to benefit those around me, instead of it being selfishly spent on myself?

Is it possible that I have a “Fiduciary Responsibility” to manage my portfolio of possessions in such a way as to make other people around me “better off”?

I have come to a place in my life where I really believe the above to be the case. I have also come to a place where I have empirically experienced the phenomenon where, as I transfer those things out of my “portfolio of possession,” there is some kind of terrestrial accounting system that kicks into action, and compensating deposits are strangely and generously placed back into my Trust Account so that I can give out even more!

My next statement makes me feel a bit sophomoric and silly, but in my early days of experimenting with this phenomenon, I actually tried to out-give God. I tried to see if I could transfer out of my Trust Account into the Trust Accounts of others faster than God could transfer compensating deposits back into my Trust Account. I failed miserably. I came to the consoling conclusion that I could not out-give God. The faster I would give it away, the faster he would put it back in . . . always with a bit more. I found that I always had something left over to give away again!

The other day I walked through the aisleways of one of our huge Project C.U.R.E. warehouses. Stacked high on the steel racks were millions and millions of dollars worth of medical supplies and pieces of medical equipment. At several of the overhead dock doors of the warehouse, ocean-going cargo containers were parked, being loaded for distribution to needy hospitals and clinics far away. At other dock doors were incoming trucks being unloaded of donated medical goods to be inventoried and processed. I was nearly overwhelmed with both a raging excitement and a deeply embedded peace, all at the same time.

Immediately, a scene replayed across the screen of my mind. I was in a very dirty hotel room in an area of high poverty in the old Soviet Union during the beginning days of Project C.U.R.E. I had just promised my new friends at the near-by hospitals and clinics that I would send them desperately needed medical supplies. “But what . . . ,” I was saying aloud to myself in the room, “what if I get home and I don’t have the needed goods to send to these people?” Then I heard from heaven. “You concern yourself with helping these people, I will give you just a bit more than you can ever give away.” As I have obediently given away out of my Trust Account, God has always faithfully replenished that Trust Account with generous compensating deposits allowing me to freely give again, again and again.

I believe that being a responsible Trustee with the things deposited into my Trust Account, and acting with a sense of fiduciary responsibility and resolute confidence regarding all that has been entrusted to me, is a great part of what makes me The Happiest Man in the World.

Dr. James W. Jackson often describes himself as "The Happiest Man in the World." A successful businessman, award-winning author and humanitarian, Jackson is also a renowned Cultural Economist and international consultant, helping organizations and governments to apply sound economic principals to the transformation of culture so that everyone is "better off."

As the founder of Project C.U.R.E., Dr. Jackson traveled to more than one hundred fifty countries assessing healthcare facilities, meeting with government leaders and "delivering health and hope" in the form of medical supplies and equipment to the world's most needy people. Literally thousands of people are alive today as a direct result of the tireless efforts of Project C.U.R.E.'s staff, volunteers and Dr. Jackson.

To contact Dr. Jackson, or to book him for an interview or speaking engagement: press@winstoncrown.com

images: Drs. James W. and AnnaMarie Jackson