Saving a Family from Ruin: An Encounter with God

As a senior executive in the life insurance industry, my role rarely involved direct contact with customers. I worked with agents and employees, far removed from the lives affected by our policies. But one moment would forever change that—and me.

In 1998, I attended the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) annual meeting in Chicago. Over 7,000 insurance professionals gathered to celebrate excellence in service and sales. One morning, a powerful video was shown to the crowd. It told the story of a young family whose husband and father had died in a car accident—just two days after applying for  a life insurance policy.

His widow tearfully shared how the policy saved her family from financial devastation. The children spoke of their father with such emotion that the entire audience was visibly moved. But as I watched, I felt a deeper, more personal stirring. The story seemed familiar.

When the family’s agent appeared on screen, I realized why; this case had crossed my desk months earlier. As president of New York Life, I was rarely involved in claim decisions, but this one was an exception. The company’s legal team had recommended denying the claim. Technically, the policy wasn’t in force because the initial premium hadn’t been submitted with the application.

However, there was one important detail: the deceased had written the check for the premium. It was found on his desk the day he died. Despite the legal advice, I approved the claim, believing it was the right thing to do.

At the time, I just quickly signed the approval papers and moved on. But sitting in that massive convention hall, watching that exact family’s story unfold on screen, I knew it was no coincidence. Out of thousands of agents and hundreds of companies, this was the one family we had helped—because of one decision I had made.

Tears streamed down my face, but not just from the story. God was speaking directly to me.

At that point in my career, I had begun to question the value of my work. The stress, the long hours, the time away from my own family—it all seemed overwhelming. But in that moment, God reassured me: my work mattered. Integrity mattered. And He had used this story to affirm that truth in a way I could not ignore.

That encounter changed me. It renewed my sense of purpose and deepened my commitment to lead with integrity. I later shared the story with agents across the company, helping them see the profound impact of what we do—and giving them the courage to continue their work with conviction.

More importantly, I became more attentive to God's voice, realizing that He speaks in ways we least expect—yet always at the perfect time.