Excuse Me, Sir, How Old Were You When You Made Your First Million?: By Diran Avagyan

Recently, I watched Stuart Varney's interview on Fox Business with James Dumoulin, the 24-year-old entrepreneur, millionaire, co-founder of “School of Hard Knocks,” and social media influencer with more than 25 million followers. He is the same person whose Instagram reels feature interviews with millionaires and billionaires from around the world. When Stuart Varney asked him to share one piece of advice he had learned from these successful people, James replied, "It's important to have macro patience and a sense of micro urgency—to persevere over the long run while acting with urgency every day."

In His time, Jesus was not stopped by influencers asking Him for recipes for success. Yet on many occasions, He taught the virtues of patience, perseverance, and always being ready to act.

Patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and a virtue often emphasized in Scripture. In Romans 8:25, St. Paul says, "But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."

Speaking of the shortness of life and the need to live with a sense of urgency, the Apostle James writes, "You are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes" (James 4:14).

Jesus sets before us a different vision of success, one measured not by material wealth but by what is eternal and life-giving. He teaches us these lessons every day, without charge, without subscriptions, without social media, and without a network of successful influencers. Instead, He chose humble fishermen who, through His teaching, became disciples. These disciples traveled the world on their apostolic mission to proclaim the Gospel, not to become celebrities, but to become faithful witnesses, many of whom ultimately gave their lives as martyrs.

In this competitive world, as we strive for success, we must choose whether we want to pass through the narrow gate or the wide gate. The wide gate may lead to worldly success, yet the narrow gate leads to the Kingdom of God, where our treasures are incorruptible, spiritual, and eternal.

May we seek wisdom not from the world's countless books on how to become a millionaire, but from Christ's teachings, through which we inherit eternal wealth.