Fear of Success?

Greg Jamison of the SJ Sharks was at Adventure today extolling us all to be successes at what God is having us do. That sounds like a no-duh doesn't it? But it seems there are lots of people in this country who are uncomfortable with success. Jamison ain't one of those people and neither am I. Watching the political debate since Grandma and company took over, our Congress is really uncomfortable with success or at least trying for success it appears. The stakes are too high to accept anything but success in the Islamofacist War ("The GWOT" just doesn't cut it for me) these days, but the naysayer voice travels far and wide.

Jamison pointed out that bad news travels through a company at the speed of light while good news seems to move slower. Why is that? Probably the same reason we enjoy gossip - we like hearing about how someone else has screwed up and then join in on kicking them in the crotch after they've been dropped to the floor. Listening to Jamison on that point, I realized that's what Grandma's Congress reminds me of. Not one of them has a decent idea of their own, except conniving ways to embarrass the President and then pat each other on the back for their clever words. Meanwhile, our enemy watches the frivolity and feels empowered.

From Numbers 13, we see an example of the power of negativitism. Moses sent 12 men, one from each tribe, to the Promised Land to scope it out. The twelve returned with examples of the fruit of the land, yet said the inhabitants were too strong for them. That defeatism was what traveled through the tribes versus the sweet success of God's promises. The Israelites were ready to stone Moses and Aaron and turn tail back to Egypt. Of the twelve, only two stood up for God's plan - Joshua and Caleb - and told the Israelites to not fear those whom God had abandoned. Sound familiar?

I said initially I'm not bothered by my success. That's because I'm blessed. My successes are not mine - they're God's. As long I know that and give thanks for that, the successes will continue. This country has been blessed for reasons that only God knows in full. For that reason alone it's worth defending against all enemies. The leftwing, uncomfortable with the nation's blessings, couldn't disagree more.