A Brush With Greatness

In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God. Job 1:22

William Randolph Hearst built an empire. He was the leading newspaperman in the country, and he had power to make and break lives. He acquired treasures from around the world. He owned a castle on California’s central coast that housed his impressive collection of antiques and art.

Hearst had everything the powerful people of the world want, but he was deeply in debt. He had leveraged everything he could to amass his fortune, which he believed would last forever. But his empire eventually crumbled. His treasures were sold at auction and his newspapers were distributed to others. By the end of his life, he was broke. The only thing he had left was a magnificent but heartbreaking memory of what could have been. His own summary of his life was this: “I am a man who could have been great but wasn’t.”

In contrast to Hearst is Job. He worked hard, planned strategically, and lived with integrity. His character was formidable enough to be considered for a special mission. God volunteered him for a spiritual confrontation that would serve as an example for every generation. Job spent a significant portion of his adult life suffering at the hands of Satan, but he refused to give in to mediocrity or self-destruction. In the end, God chose to reward him with twice as many blessings as he had before his struggle.

The key difference between William Randolph Hearst and Job is that while Hearst boldly did things his own way, Job courageously followed God’s plan. Because of that, Job was a man who could have been great and was!

Does your life resemble Hearst’s? If so, seek God and his plan for your life, and commit yourself to following his plan with all your strength. God always blesses that kind of obedience.

Lord, open my eyes to see the greatness you have planned for my life.