Kingdom Success
Jennifer Fletcher
How do you measure success?
A “good job”, wealth, material possessions, thriving children, happiness?
Early on in my faith, a guest speaker defined success as “hearing God and obeying”.
I love this! It levels the playing field. It means anyone anywhere no matter what their context, health or position in society, everyone can be successful in Gods Kingdom.
Gideon (from the weakest clan and the least in his family) it seems would have recognised this definition of success:
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”
Judges 6: 12 - 16
It is so easy to feel inadequate and to compare. Social media is full of #livingmybestlife images and comments that can leave us feeling our “less than best life” days, weeks and months are far from how the world around us defines success.
I frequently find myself using the words “tired” and “lack of capacity” and yet what I have come to realise is that God will use me in spite of that!
The Lord said to Gideon “Go in the the strength you have… am I not sending you?”
If we wait until we feel energised, with full batteries or fully competent, and feeling able to be obedient to God we will miss the moment.
Gideon perceived himself as, and may well have been, the weakest in his family - yet the Angel of the Lord calls him Mighty Warrior! God does not perceive us the way we perceive ourselves. He also does not perceive others the way we perceive them. What potential might be unlocked if we were to pray for God to give us eyes to see ourselves, and those around us, through His eyes. To be people that recognise the mighty warriors that would ordinarily be overlooked.
Success is not dependent upon us being strong and competent. It is dependent on us discerning Gods leading, saying Yes and knowing that He will be with us!
