Actor Denzel Washington urges students to pray, warns against the dangers of misusing money
Denzel Washington, one of Hollywood's most beloved and critically acclaimed actors, recently gave an inspiriting speech to a group of young actors highlighting the importance of prayer.
"I pray that you all put your shoes way under the bed at night so that you gotta get on your knees in the morning to find them. And while you're down there thank God for grace and mercy and understanding. We all fall short of the glory, we all got plenty," the Academy Award winner told his audience in a video posted on Facebook by fellow actor Tyrese Gibson.
Washington encouraged the group of what appeared to be student actors to use their talent for good and never forget to pray.
"If you just start thinking of all the things you've got to say thank you for, that's a day. That's easily a day," he said.
Washington, who is currently starring in a Broadway adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," said that before every show, he and the cast gather for prayer led by a little boy (Bryce Clyde Jenkins who portrays the character Travis Younger.)
"We have a little boy in our show, we're doing 'Raisin in the Sun,' and we have a circle, we pray every day," said Washington.
"And his prayer, this boy is prayed up, he just prays that we go out and touch someone tonight. He says 'God, somebody out there needs us tonight,'" explained Washington.
Washington warned his young audience against the dangers of wealth, telling them that while money is a good thing, it is important that such a "gift" is not abused .
"And we all have that unique gift to go out and touch people to affect people. Understand that gift, protect that gift, appreciate that gift, utilize that gift, don't abuse that gift," said Washington.
"You'll never see a U-Haul behind a hearse...now I've been blessed to make hundreds of millions of dollars in my life. I can't take it with me and neither can you. It's not how much you have but what you do with what you have," he continued.
Denzel Washington has been labeled as one of the most powerful Christians in Hollywood due to due to his outspokenness concerning his Christian faith. The actor has won two Academy Awards and lent his voice to "The Bible Experience," an audio Bible featuring some of the country's top African-American stars.
