What makes a
person successful? Not in the world’s
eyes – that answer is easy: money, big house, big car, every possible luxury
one could think of. But how does God
define success? Is it the number of
times you read the Bible, the number of miracle you’ve witnessed, the amount of
time you spend in His presence, or the number of prayers you have seen
answered? The answer is none of
these. Consider the following examples:
William
Carey, a devoted
missionary to India. He is known as the
father of modern missionaries. In 1793,
he set out of India. He had already
experienced hardships in making it to the country, including his wife’s
reluctance and the mission board’s lack of interest and hence funds. But he eventually made it to India’s
shores. And although he worked hard, it
was seven years before there was a single Indian convert.
Adoniram Judson was the first North American Protestant missionary to Burma. He worked in Burma for almost forty
years. Despite slow beginnings – only
seeing 18 people turn to Jesus in the first 12 years of his ministry – when he
died in 1850, he had established over 100 churches with over 8,000 members
combined.
David Livingstone’s mission was not based upon the people, but rather the land. He used his doctoring skills to help the
Africans, but he also used his skills as an explorer and scientist to open up
the way for many more missionaries by mapping the previous undiscovered parts
of Africa.
George Müller never left the continent on which he was
born. He didn’t go to oriental
countries, jungles, deserts or tropics.
Rather, his mission was based in Bristol, England. Through his work, over 10,000 orphans were
taken off the streets, given homes, food, education, and the knowledge of the
Bible and Jesus.
Jim Elliot and the other four missionaries in his group were tragically murdered
early in their mission work by the resentful and war-like Acua Indians. However, through these men’s sacrifice, and
the forgiving love of Jim’s wife Elizabeth, many of these Indians came to know
Christ.
Lillian Trasher broke off her engagement to an ordained
minister ten days before the wedding and went to Egypt upon God’s calling. Throughout her life, which spanned both world
wars, and a period of almost fifty years, she cared for over 10,000 orphans and
5,000 widows, earning her the name Mother Trasher in Egypt. Today, the work continues, with 85% of the
orphanage funding coming from churches in Egypt itself.
That’s just a few of them!
Throughout the centuries, countless number of people have been giving
their lives to share the good news. Some
achieved more than others – that is plain to see. Does this make them more successful? Was Lillian Trasher more successful than
George Mueller because she helped 5,000 more people? Would you say that Judson was more of a
success than Carey, because his church grew more?
Let’s consider two more examples.
This time, they are from the Old Testament: Jeremiah and Haggai. Jeremiah prophesied to the people of Israel
and Judah to turn from their sins or else a great disaster would come. This disaster was the captivity of the
people, when they were taken to Babylon.
Jeremiah started his mission work young,
“Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified
you; I ordained
you a prophet to the nations.”
Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”
But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever
I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to
deliver you,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah
1:4-6)”
Jeremiah walked with God and
prophesied for over 40 years. During
this time, he never once saw the nation of Israel turn back to God, never once
saw them heed his words. Throughout this
time, he saw wicked king after wicked king.
With the exception of King Josiah who brought a revival in the land of
Judah, no-one was interested in hearing God’s word.
Haggai,
on the other hand, preached a relatively short message. He encouraged the people to turn back to God,
to build the temple, to start life again after their 70 years captivity in
Babylon. And the people listened, heeded
his words, and acted within 25 days of hearing it.
In the second year of
King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet… (Haggai
1:1a)
So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the
son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of
Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people;
and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of
the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius. (Haggai 1:14-15)
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