Last year was amazing! I began a new habit of daily Bible reading. Reading through the Bible has now become a yearly goal. For the record, this time of meditation has become my sweet spot of every day. One of the aspects I have enjoyed recently, is the discovery of a roadmap for success.
JOB IS MY INSPIRATION FOR SUCCESS
Most people know the story of Job. He was the richest person in his area. He had ten children, 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen and 500 female donkeys. In addition to all of this, he had many servants. https://www.theshatteredvase.com/index.php/2020/09/03/job/
JOB HAD EVERYTHING UNTIL HE HAD NOTHING.
First, the oxen and donkeys were stolen and all of the farmhands murdered. Then a fire from heaven burned up the sheep and all of the shepherds. The camels were stolen next and those servants murdered also.
But Job still had his family right?
No, not so much. They were killed by what appeared to be a tornado.
What did Job do when this happened? He stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship God. His response was as follows…
“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”
JOB HAD NO SELF-PITY
That is so unlike me. I would have been wallowing in self-pity for years.
Awww, but alas, Satan did not stop. He went on to ask for God to take away Job’s good health. When asking for God to afflict Job’s health God acquiesced but not without a protest.
GOD DEFENDED JOB.
He said. “Job is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless-a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”
So how do you become blameless before God?
BY LEARNING THE ROADMAP TO SUCCESS
In Job 30, Job states why he was such a success.
11) All who heard me praised me. All who saw me spoke well of me.
12) For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help.
13) I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widow’s hearts to sing for joy.
14) Everything I did was honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban.
15) I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
16) I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help.
17) I broke the jaws of godless oppressors and plucked their victims from their teeth.
.JOB’S DEFINITION OF SUCCESS WAS ABOUT OTHERS
WAIT A MINUTE!!!
SUCCESS CAN BE DEFINED IN OTHER WAYS THAN A NEW LEXUS?!!!
You gotta be kidding me!!!
Nope, I am NOT kidding you!
Job was enormously wealthy and very successful but when stating his case before God he didn’t even mention one of his sheep, oxen or donkeys. He only mentioned what he had done for others.
SUCCESS IS NOT ABOUT YOU
In Ephesians 2:10, God says that “We are His masterpiece, recreated in the likeness of Christ, so that we can do the good work which God planned for us to do long ago.”
So, the take away from this is … to be a success is not about driving a porsche, living in a mansion or where you last traveled. Nor is it about how many celebrities you know or whether or not you get invited to the White House.
It is rather about how many homeless people you fed. Fighting injustice and advocating for those who are disabled topped his resume’. Living a life of integrity was Job’s claim to fame.
JOB CLAIMED TO BE RIGHTEOUS
Apparently he lived by God’s law. He must have been religious.
However, in James 1:27 the Bible defines what being religious is…
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father, means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
On a personal level, I have a directive from God as to what kind of charity to form when my wealth gets to the level of Job. What if that level of wealth is several years down the road for me?
I HAVE A PLAN
Why wait until I am wealthy to help others? Starting small is always a good first step. I have made a decision to decrease my spending on credit cards and try to pay with cash. Then if I get a dollar bill in change I stick that in the console of my car. When I see a homeless person standing on the street corner, it is easy breezy for me to grab some dollar bills and hand them out.
I shared this idea with one of my dear friends today and she said she liked that idea and was going to do the same.
I’m telling you, I have just started on this roadmap to success and I already feel successful!
How do you define success?
Is it defined by the home you live in, the car you drive or the clothes you wear?
I am not throwing any shade your way if that is you. Someone has to keep the luxury car businesses in the black. lol
Or maybe you do both? Live like a millionaire and also help those less fortunate.
Job was not poor, he was very wealthy, so wealth is not a sin. Making wealth your God while ignoring the needs of others may be questionable though.
