Someone asked, “Do you want to be successful?” The obvious answer is, “Yes, who does not want to be successful?”
What do you consider success is? Lot’s answer and in his view, he thought success would be in following his rich relative, Abram, and modeling after him. But, there is a condition here. Some persons think that success is decorating themselves with the glitz or wallowing in riches.
Looking at success as being only lavishing in the glitz is only a part of the success. Success carries with it responsibility. For example, if you purchase land, the land has to be treated with the vitamins to make the crop grow and good enough to take to market and sold.
If your crop doesn’t bring forth good vegetables, fruit or other produce, you’re going to lose money. You ask yourself, “Why? What happened? Why didn’t my produce yield valuable goods to be sold and make a profit. What did I do wrong?”
Chances are you didn’t treat the crop with the right soil treatment. Maybe you were thinking only about the yield and not about what would go into bringing forth healthy lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, etc. This simple comparison can be looked at from the process of life.
What you put into life most likely will yield or bring forth what you will get out of it. This can be a little tricky, though, because life isn’t quite that straight forward. Many of the times, we only see the results in people’s lives and we don’t see the process – what did they put into it to bring forth the great success which comes of it. Or, what happened along the way and the apples turn out to be sour grapes – something totally different from what was sewn into the life.
In the parable of the seed, not all seeds sewn turn out healthy and spendable. There is “a third entity,” which invariably creeps into the path to throw someone off the “pathway to success.” The kind of success we may be seeking requires focus and attention. We must put in the “right stuff.” We want every situation to be prosperous and successful.
When we watch great athletes, that doesn’t just happen. Somewhere along the way, somebody or some persons helped that person become successful. That’s the case with Lot. He prospered because of Abram’s protection over him. Remember, Abram had to fight a battle for Lot and his family. He caused Abram quite some trouble.
So, who helped the great athlete or how many helped this great athlete along the way? The similarity is that whatever the project, there was support along the way. If it’s a great musician, or a scholarly student, that person had support. Perhaps the parents and teachers said encouraging words, took them to practice or saw to it they attended their practices and were persistent in their interest to be sure as sure could be for the person’s success.
The sons of Zebedee (James and John as cited in Matthew 4:21 and Mark 1:20) left their father to follow Jesus. Their mother had her own creative, selfish ideas about what she thought Jesus should do for her sons. She thought she could impress Jesus by coming and worshipping Jesus. Jesus wanted to know what she wanted Him to do.
As we all know, Jesus “knew” what was in man before anyone told him. She was only looking at the glorious part of what she could envision in her limited scope. Seeing the greatness of Jesus and the amount of attention that He drew to him with his miracles and speeches, she wanted a piece of that for her sons.
Jesus takes us along the road of success. But, he also shows us what all this success will bring. We see everyday the glitz, but not the hardships, which will be experienced to get there.
When she wanted her sons to be seated in the highest places – one on the right hand and the other on the left (which are symbols of participation) in your kingdom – she had not the faintest idea what she was asking. Jesus told her forthrightly, “You don’t know what you are asking?”
Basically, Jesus asked them, “Are you able to experience my sufferings which are about to come?” Both of them said, “We are able.” Some and many want the glitz, the glamour, the big cars, the awards, but not able to be dedicated, conscientious, committed and focused on the mission.
True to the way life is, resentment and jealousy comes with success. Sometimes, it comes from within (your family and friends) and even those who do not even know you at all, but they see what you have, they want it and have no idea what life’s curves have thrown at you to achieve the success.
The great thing we can say is that through it all, Jesus will never leave you nor will He ever forsake you. We are never alone. My conversation with me is this: “One thing I am sure of is that there is only one God. He is the same God yesterday, today and forever. He knows the end from the beginning. He will never change. God is not like a man who will lie and be wishy washy wavering back and forth.”
The same with us if our faith wavers, we won’t receive what we are asking for. When we ask the Father in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, He will answer our prayers. One thing is that we don’t know the time frame. He works in His own omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence.
Hold on to your faith. Hold on. He hears your prayers. The third-party entity thought he could be God. That’s why we have so much division now. He said, among other things, (Isaiah 14:12ff), “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mouth of the congregation in the sides of the north.”
It’s all about jealousy and quest to take the place of God and not only to be God, but to replace God! Never will it happen. Because, regardless what the naysayers say and believe He is eternal. The mighty Conqueror has already defeated “the third party entity.”
What do we do? Stand firm. Keep your vision for success ever present in your mind and pray to Jesus Christ. He can and will turn things around to His own Plan. Keep your eye on the prize. Remember you belong to Jesus Christ. There is the “Pathway to Success.” The Door is Wide Open! Walk In.! Be faithful, diligent…always abounding in the work of the Lord.
Thanks for reading! Jeanette Grattan Parker is the founder-superintendent of Today’s Fresh Start Charter School, 4514 Crenshaw Boulevard, L.A., 90043, 323-293-9826 www.todaysfreshstart.org (Ask Dr. Jeanette TM) Inquiring Minds Want to Know” All articles are copyright. All rights reserved © The Holy Bible New Testament, Errors? Let me know. Sundays for music & message: 11:30am {1-712-775-8971—code 266751} Pray; always. Don’t stop praying and hoping. Reference: The Holy Bible.