Reflections on Moses #1: Success
Judd Apatow is an American comedian, director, producer, and screenwriter, and incidentally, was born in Flushing, NY.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Judd Apatow responded to the interviewer’s statement: “You’ve said that as an entertainer, all the success in the world won’t heal you.”
Apatow replied, “It doesn’t do anything. There is a great distraction in thinking, ‘When I get to the top of that hill, it’s all gonna be awesome.’ And then when you get to the top of the hill, you’re like, ‘Oh, I guess now I have to really deal with my problems, because that didn’t work at all.’”
What is success really?
God’s purpose for Moses was that he was to be the deliverer of Israel. But he got off on the wrong foot. He killed an Egyptian in his attempt to start a revolution.
He was trying to be the deliverer of Israel and lead them out of their oppression. But it backfired. The Israelites took offense to it, and the Pharaoh chased him out of Egypt.
The first 40 years of Moses’ life as an adopted son of the Pharaoh – from his birth until his flight into Midian – Moses thought he was something.
In his second 40 years – from his flight into Midian to the exodus from Egypt – Moses learned in the desert places that he was nothing.
In his final 40 years – as the leader of God’s people and the one who could speak face to face with God as a person speaks with his friends – he proved that God is everything.
It was during Moses’ final 40 years that he was successful. He fulfilled the purposes God had for him, to be the deliverer and leader of Israel.
One way to define success is achieving the purposes God has for us:
• Believing in Jesus and follow him as a disciple.
• Belonging in community with brothers and sisters in Christ.
• Becoming like Christ in personal transformation.
• Blessing others by being on mission in advancing Christ’s kingdom.
Sandra Day O’Connor, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, said, “Do the best you can in every task, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time.”
I would add, be and do your best with what God has given you, and do it for God. That is success.
~ Pastor Dave
