Today's readings are 1 Samuel 17.48-18.9 and Acts 27.9-26.
Beware of success. You never know when your hard work and loyalty may be used against you. This common theme of workplace humor may not be that far from reality. It is certainly something that God knows about and has warned us about in the life of David. What happens when you kill the enemy, when you are promoted into the household of the king, when you are befriended by the king's son, and when you start commanding the king's armies successfully? You are a danger to the king. Beware of success.
Yet we can look at success in another way also. Who gave David his success? It came from none other than God. What was God doing in David? He was preparing him to serve as king, the position he had already been anointed for. What was God doing in Saul? He was showing him that his position as king was not one he could grasp and hold onto. And this is all the work of the Lord, who was graciously providing leadership for his people.
What kind of success has the Lord given us? Have we recognized it as success that comes from the hand of God? Have we desired to use it for the good of Christ's kingdom? Have we acknowledged that we ourselves are unworthy of the blessings of God but that our Lord is worthy of all we can do? Let us look at our successes in that way, as opportunities for the Lord to shine through us.
Beware of success. You never know when your hard work and loyalty may be used against you. This common theme of workplace humor may not be that far from reality. It is certainly something that God knows about and has warned us about in the life of David. What happens when you kill the enemy, when you are promoted into the household of the king, when you are befriended by the king's son, and when you start commanding the king's armies successfully? You are a danger to the king. Beware of success.
Yet we can look at success in another way also. Who gave David his success? It came from none other than God. What was God doing in David? He was preparing him to serve as king, the position he had already been anointed for. What was God doing in Saul? He was showing him that his position as king was not one he could grasp and hold onto. And this is all the work of the Lord, who was graciously providing leadership for his people.
What kind of success has the Lord given us? Have we recognized it as success that comes from the hand of God? Have we desired to use it for the good of Christ's kingdom? Have we acknowledged that we ourselves are unworthy of the blessings of God but that our Lord is worthy of all we can do? Let us look at our successes in that way, as opportunities for the Lord to shine through us.
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Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogger.com
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