I have plans to make a great people from your descendants. And I am going to put a special blessing on you and cause your reputation to grow so that you will become a blessing and example to others. Genesis 12:2 VOICE
In this world where greed has become a mode of success and often praised, flies in the face of today’s verse and the legacy of Arthur Guiness. The Guiness Brewery and the family became wealthy and successful by remembering God says that we are to use our wealth to help others so His covenant can be confirmed (Deut. 8:18).
The Guiness Brewery was the place everyone wanted to work. Remember this was back in the mid to late 1700’s and what he began was unheard of. He taught this principle to his children and those in leadership. As one of his leaders once quoted him, “You cannot make money from people unless you are willing for people to make money from you.” And from then to this day, The Guiness Company takes care of their employees and families.
Their wages were 10-20% higher than other employers. Employees had access to 24 hour health and dental care for them and their families, retirees and widows. Their pensions were 100% company funded. There was a company owned Savings Bank that helped them budget, invest and use their money wisely. Along with a special Savings Fund from which they could take out loans. There were various opportunities for education in the arts, through concerts, lectures and classes for intellectual development for the employees and their families. This along with scholarships for trade schools and higher education for the entire family. They enjoyed the Annual Excursion Day which was an all expenses paid time for all employees and their families to get out into the countryside. And lastly all funeral expenses were covered by the company
Arthur’s children had to work their way up the ladder in the company and that mindset continued from generation to generation so that they would know how important it was to take care of their employees. Even during WWI, every man who went into the military was paid half his wage to supplement his military wage, and was promised his job back when he’d come back home and his family was taken care of while he was away.
All of this was accomplished because Arthur taught his family and employees that everything that was done, was from God’s hand and for His glory. When you consider the time in which all this happened what transpired would have been said to be impossible. It gives an entire new meaning to “nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37) and a better understanding of “all things are possible with God”(Matt. 9:26). In the time we’re living in, perhaps more believers should consider becoming more like Arthur Guiness.
Tomorrow we will see the impact this man and his legacy had on the entire city and surrounding communities of Dublin.
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