FIRST QUARTER 2023
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #8
FEBRUARY 25, 2023
“PLANNING FOR SUCCESS” #

 

 

Our lesson this week, “Planning for Success,” gives many practical and sensible principles for “success” in this life. It touches on providing for basic necessities, the importance of choosing a compatible spouse, the value of including integrity in a good work ethic, the significance of being productive during our most energetic years, and finally the value of Godly counsel.

 

Early on the lesson rightly notes that people want to live “successful and happy” lives, and then asks the most important question in this week’s lesson, “how do we define ‘success’?”

 

How do we define success?

 

Would we or the world consider the life of John the Baptist a success? Would we or the world consider the life of Jeremiah a success? Was the life of Peter a “success”?

 

Would we or the world consider Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates successes?

 

I think that the example of Moses is particularly relevant in answering this question. Moses was someone who had power, wealth, and influence – success by the world’s measurement. He was probably next in line to be the most powerful ruler on earth at the time – with all the attendant riches and pleasures. Moses was destined to be the Jeff Bezos, Pope Francis, and President of the United States – all rolled in to one person in Egyptian culture.

 

And yet Scripture says:

 

“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,  choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews11:24-27, NKJV).

 

If Moses had stayed in Egypt as Pharaoh’s grandson, he very well might today be known as a great Pharaoh, with a great pyramid in his honor, and wonderful exhibitions in the Cairo Museum with the gold and jewels he would have been buried with. We might read his name in history books and archaeology texts. His body might still be able to be viewed in its mummified form.

 

Instead, Moses chose “affliction,” “reproach,” “wrath,” and “endurance” with God’s people. And where is Moses today?

 

“the archangel Michael, was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses” (Jude 1:9).

 

“And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah” (Luke 9:30).

 

Moses has been in heaven for thousands of years, and yet his “road to success” is completely foreign to markers of success to which Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Pope Francis, and President Biden all subscribe. The Biblical definition of success has no overlap with the world’s view of success.

 

In heaven where the street is paved with gold, the foundations are massive jewels, and the gates are massive pearls, what value is there in all of Jeff Bezos’ money?

 

In heaven, where the weakest angel could put to flight all the combined military powers, what value is there in all the jets and bombs and aircraft carriers Presidents Biden and Jinping can muster?

 

In heaven, where the weakest and poorest saint can have audience with the God of the universe, what value is there in being a pope here on earth?

 

John the Baptist lived a humble life with modest clothes and modest food (Matthew3:4), he had a short period of time with a modest number of followers, and then was imprisoned and beheaded as a young man. Was John the Baptist successful?

 

“there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist” (Luke 7:28).

 

While there is no biblical record of this, I like to think that John the Baptist was one of those raised from the dead when Jesus was resurrected (Matthew27:52-53). John the Baptist was successful.

 

The one thing that all the men and women of the Bible have in common, if they were successful by Heaven’s standard, is character.

 

“the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character.” — Ellen G. White, In Heavenly Places, p. 164.

 

Abel, Seth, Enoch, Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, Nathan, Jeremiah, Paul, John, Barnabas, Mary Magdalene, etc., all sinned and fell short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But they moved forward and formed characters after the divine likeness. They became “partakers of the divine nature (character)” (2 Peter 1:4).

 

And they are held out as examples to us, that we too, even though we have “all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” might become partakers of the divine character.

 

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

 

Let us ever remember that while influence, money, and education can have great value in doing good and advancing God’s kingdom, the ultimate measure of success is a life and character modeled on the life and character of Jesus. He is the only measure of true success. And He promises that He has begun a good work in us, and He will complete it! (Philippians1:6).

 

~Bob Hunsaker