The Road to Success

The illustration of The Road to Success highlights that success is a lot of hard work and persistence. God has provided us an environment to be successful both materially and spiritual. God desires for us to benefit from the fruit of our labor. God has given us purpose and meaning in life to persevere any trial and tribulation. Enjoy the illustration below concerning the road to success.

Success, Suffering, Trials:

A seeker approached the guru and implored, "Please, Teacher, show me the way to success in life."

Silently, passively, the guru pointed to the path that went off the left.

She followed the guru's direction and walked boldly down the path. Just as she rounded a wall and approached an opening in the cliff she was smashed with a big "Splat!"

She wondered what she had done wrong! She had followed the guru's instructions. She had walked the narrow path to the left.

Still, instead of finding success she found Splat!

Battered and bruised, she made her way back up the path to the guru. "Teacher, I have misunderstood your previous instructions and have taken the wrong path to success. Please, show me the path to success."

The guru said nothing. He didn't blink. He didn't move. He raised a finger and once again pointed to the path to the left.

She stared down the path and looked back to the guru. He was unblinking, unmoving and passive. His finger pointed left.

She gulped, took a deep breath and once again set out on the path to success. She walked gingerly, watching for potential hazards along the way. Her last trip down this path had taught her a lesson. She wouldn't repeat the same mistake twice.

This time she negotiated the cliff and the opening. Through the opening she entered into a broad mesa. Before venturing out onto the mesa she scanned the area for potential danger.

Satisfied that all was clear, she ventured out. She had gone only a few steps when once again, she was clobbered by a huge Splat!

Bloodied and bruised, she dragged herself back the way she had come to the guru. This time she was angry. She returned to the place of her previous instruction. Raising herself up to her full height, she grabbed the guru around the collar got in his face and shouted. "Enough of your tricks. I came here to discover the path to success. So help me I swear by the heavens that if you dare to point left I'll tear you limb from limb. Now tell me, which is the path to success?"

The guru was no fool. After all, he was a guru and widely renowned for his wisdom. He thought for a moment, hesitated and then delicately poked a chubby finger in the direction of the path to the left.

"I've been down that road twice now and there's nothing there! You're a sham, a fake, a phony and a liar! Each time I've listened to you I've gotten Splat! Tell me, where along that treacherous path will I find success?"

"You'll find it just past Splat!"

Source: Heard on the "Dr. Laura" talk show, January 7, 1997

Selection from (Sermons Illustrations: Success)