Steve Harvey just pulled an amazing reputation rebound after the Miss Universe pageant faux pax that had overshadowed a career of his intentional comedy. (The cynical among us might call it a well-timed public relations move.) On the day when millions of Americans learned that they hadn’t won the Powerball, he released a motivational speech that drew 41 million views on Facebook in two days.
I can see why. It’s six and a half minutes well spent.
As someone who has (A) heard almost 6,000 sermons or Bible lessons and (B) actually jumped off cliffs in various devices including a parachute, I would like to clarify and broaden his pep talk to make it more practical for all of us.
During his impromptu speech, Steve claimed, “Your God has a wonderful life for you.”
While that’s not true of all world religions’ gods, that is true of the Judeo-Christian deity. The Jewish prophet Jeremiah wrote to his countrymen, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” The famous first-century missionary, Paul, reinforced this in a letter to the church in Rome, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Steve quoted Jesus himself, when he said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Verses like these get used a lot by a part of the protestant faith that teaches what has been dubbed “the Prosperity Gospel.” While these verses are as true as any other verse in the Bible, they need some context. These verses are in a Bible where God asked a man to marry a prostitute and to buy her back when she went back into the business. These promises sit between pages where Jesus asked a rich man to sell everything he had to donate to the poor. The same God that says he plans only good is on record saying he let Job’s kids die on purpose—before he admittedly allowed marauders to steal all Job’s assets and a tornado to flatten his house.
These happily-quoted verses are balanced by the call to take up our crosses and follow Jesus. The Bible is nuanced like that. With everything in context (and some admitted mystery), a thread of sovereignty and redemption is woven into the full manuscript.
God absolutely allows incredible hardship and even utter failure. You could make the argument that the characters of the Bible are transcribed in such a way as to contrast their diverse suffering and failures against God’s faithfulness. The hope and encouragement of the Scriptures is that God is near in our poverty and redeems our pain—even the deep wounds that leave permanent physical and emotional scars.
While Steve promises, “God won’t let you fall,” he fails to finish the sentence. It needs, “without a purpose in his sovereign story.”
God didn’t promise to open our parachutes. It’s arrogant for us to think he is obligated to open our parachutes. If he does “come through,” know that his definition of an abundant life probably looks a lot different than the Powerball version of abundant life. Heaven looks at rewards on an eternal time frame and measures our temporary lives with different units of measurement.
All the money in the world can’t guarantee you
• rich spiritual experiences
• an overwhelming sense of purpose
• a feeling of unconditional love
• an incomprehensible peace during tragedy
• a different perspective on security
• a broader definition of “life”
• the whisper of supernatural wisdom
We must pursue life more than abundance. That means we look for that life in our circumstances and bring life to as many situations as we can.
That’s actually why we were given our unique gifts, talents, and contexts that Steve mentioned. We’re supposed to leverage them for the greater good, the spiritual abundance of others. We are assigned to be conduits through which God’s character traits flow into the lives we touch. As we do that, how we measure success will change.
Steve’s right: success—no matter how we define it—will require risk, hardships, and perseverance. While I’ve never seen a parachute open after someone hits the rocks, Steve’s call for bold jumps and tenacious endurance rings true of my story and those of many people I know. That goes for businesses and careers, non-profits and social campaigns, relationships and legacy.
So, do dream big. Do take calculated risks. Do learn from your mistakes. Do pursue the calling for which you were given your unique passions and talents. Just don’t expect to land that parachute in a pot of gold.
