The Richest Poor Man In Texas

Karen

Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

—Romans 15:4

The year was 1931—the height of the Depression era in the United States. In East Texas lived a man named F. K. Lathrop. Like many people at the time, Mr. Lathrop was a laborer struggling to stretch his meager weekly paycheck to provide for his family’s needs. He worked at the local plow company earning a very small income. The ground underneath his feet was dry and hard—so hard, he had trouble even drilling for water.

But one ordinary day an attempt to drill revealed more than just H₂O flowing beneath this man’s homestead. Mr. Lathrop found a secret that ensured his family would be provided for indefinitely. Hidden deep beneath the rocky soil was crude oil!

Soon the well was cranking out an astonishing thirty to forty thousand barrels of oil each day. Mr. Lathrop promptly sold the well for $$35 million dollars, marched into his job, and quit. No longer did he have to squeak out a living. He was rolling in the dough—or, shall we say, swimming in the oil!

I find this Texas farmer’s tale fascinating. For years he’d lived without knowing the secret his land was hiding—that he was the richest poor man in Texas! It wasn’t until he drilled down deep that he discovered the black gold beneath the earth’s crust. Although he lived as a struggling laborer, he was, in fact, a millionaire! But he was not able to live as a well-to-do mogul until he knew the truth of his situation and tapped into his wealth.

It’s similar to how many of us live our lives today by never tapping into the wealth of Scripture.

Today’s verse showcases the importance of God’s Word in the life of believers. But the mere presence of a Bible at home—or its passages on a device’s screen—doesn’t ensure we’ll experience all this verse promises. We need to drill down deep into Scripture and allow the truths of its Word to rush over our souls.

We can’t just read the Bible; we need to allow the Bible to read us—convicting and changing us as it does.

Have you discovered the riches of digging deep into God’s Word, or have you been squeaking out a mere existence, essentially living in biblical poverty?

Dust off your Bible. Take time to unearth the spiritual treasures it offers you there, buried beautifully in the words on its pages. When you know the truth of the living Word, you’ll gain the confidence to boldly live out the truth in your life. This discovery—even greater than earthly riches—will change your life forever. It surely has mine.

Father, may I drill down deep into Your holy Word, unlocking the truths of Scripture that will empower me to live a godly life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In what areas of your life are you reading God’s Word, taking in its knowledge, but not actually allowing it to change your actions?