We have this treasure in earthen
vessels, that the excellence of the
power may be of God and not of us.
2 CORINTHIANS 4:7 NKJV
Ihara Saikuku, the author of two enduring works, The Japanese Family Storehouse and The Millionaire’s Gospel, had this to say about the challenges we all face in the pursuit of personal success:
To be born thus empty into this modern age, this mixture of good and ill, and yet to steer through life on an honest course to the splendors of success—this is a feat reserved for paragons of our kind, a task beyond the nature of the normal man.
Interestingly, Saikuku wrote this more than three hundred years ago! He lived from 1642 to 1693. His statement confirms the familiar axiom, “Nothing ever changes.” What was true about human nature three hundred years ago is still true today.
Each one of us is born into what may be likened to a maze—with many options for false starts, unproductive detours, and dead ends. The person who makes wise choices and decisions is the one most likely to make it through the maze of life with greatest efficiency, ease, and productivity.
The analogy of a maze holds true for each day also. In any given day, we face numerous opportunities to make wrong turns or give in to temptation instead of taking that big leap of faith to continue in God’s plan for our lives.
The Scriptures would agree with Saikuku that steering an honest course is “beyond the nature of the normal man.” Rather than an attribute of the unusual or specially-gifted person, however, this ability to make good moral choices is regarded by the Scriptures as evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in a person’s life. It is the Spirit who helps us choose good and refuse evil.
Whenever you are faced with a decision today, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Ask Him to show you the way through today’s maze!