Leadership Message

Matthew Purdy, Human Resources Manager 

Recently, I was invited to my high school's 20-year reunion. Well, prior to the invitation coming out, I had already made up my mind that I wasn’t going. I’d gone to my school's one-year reunion and 10-year reunion, and the thought of going yet again and catching up with a group of people I have limited contact with didn’t sound like a fun night out for an introvert. 

However, once the invitation came out, I had a change of heart and decided to sign up. Why? Well, to be completely transparent, I’m not really sure. Part of me thought it was an honour to my parents and the sacrifice they made to send me to school, a part of me was genuinely interested in catching up with some people who I knew incredibly well at the time, and another side of me was curious to do a school tour. 

However, in the lead-up to it, I was really nervous. I contacted a few people I had known well at school to check if they were going, and fortunately, I wasn’t going to be alone!

So why the fear? 

Success is a complicated concept. Turning up to a reunion, I felt the need to present the best version of myself. You want it to seem as though you have your whole life together, that you’re “living your best life”, that you are financially stable, that you’ve got a wonderful family, you’ve done well in your career, and that your future is looking bright. 

No one wants to present their true self—their hurts, pain, loss, failures, and struggles. 

In a faith sense, my priorities are different too, and my entire perspective on what makes someone successful is very different to many of my peers. The thought of going along to an event where I needed to “try to be something” had limited appeal.

Only a few days before the event, I had an epiphany that really shaped my perspective, and it’s a significant one.

God has made me who I am, and I needn’t fear the judgement of others, but rather I can be confident in my identity in Christ. 

Despite what we try to make life all about, we’ve actually been asked to do one key thing, found in Mark 12:30-31 (NLT):

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. No other commandment is greater than these.”

The measuring stick I should be aligning myself and my values with is simply this. If I’m doing these things, I’m successful.

Some of you may be familiar with the pastor and author Jon Tyson, who is based in New York but originated from Adelaide. He recently shared a story that I found very interesting. 

Jon was recently in Las Vegas for a layover on his way to a retreat. He was a UFC fan, and while in Las Vegas, there was a major UFC title fight which he was keen to watch. Following a fight, there is often a post-fight press conference, and at the press conference, apparently there is a specific journalist who is always given the first question by the host. This particular journalist knows UFC very well, and is known for travelling the world to cover fights, and he’s become an aspirational figure for those wanting to get into sports reporting.

While on his trip to Las Vegas, Jon needed to catch an Uber from his hotel. Much to his shock, when the Uber driver arrived, it was, in fact, this famous journalist!

They had a discussion, confirmed that he was the journalist that he thought he was, and they continued to have a conversation about the UFC, and why on earth he would be driving an Uber on his way to report on fights later that night!

The journalist responded by explaining - 

“I have a son who is 13 and he has his heart set on being a pilot. As good as sports reporting is and the opportunities it's given me, I want to make sure he has enough money to get the hours he needs in the air at a young age. So, instead of sitting at home and watching YouTube or Netflix, I get out and drive and put the money into an account for him to get time in the air. I want to support his dream and make sure the resources are there to make it happen.”

In this article, Jon went on to contrast the concept of success between this Uber driver, and one of the individuals involved in the fight.

The UFC competitor spoke openly about his motivation to succeed. He described the thrill of being recognised on the street, of fans approaching him for photos, and of feeling celebrated and admired in his home country. It was clear that he had achieved the kind of greatness our culture often applauds—fame, visibility, and public affirmation.

However, contrast that with the Uber driver he had earlier - the leading sports reporter. In the Uber, he wasn’t surrounded by fans or flashing cameras. No one was asking for his autograph or posting about him online. However, the sacrifice he was making for his child was really significant and something that should be admired. This was a different kind of greatness. His motivation wasn’t glory or fame —it was love for his child. The Uber driver wasn’t driving for personal gain, but rather it was about investing in his son’s dream of becoming a pilot. 

To me, this story really helped to reshape my concept of what is important, and it came at a time when I was actively pondering some of these things.

In the lead-up to the reunion, I was caught in the tension between how the world defines success and how God does. It’s interesting how as soon as I had a revelation of the fact that I am loved by God, I’m called to simply be a light to the world around me, and make a difference in the space that I’m in, my perspective began to shift.

You’ll be pleased to know that I attended and had a genuinely great night! 

I didn’t need to impress anyone. I just needed to show up as myself—a Child of God, doing my best to live faithfully in the space I’ve been placed in. 

Matthew Purdy

Human Resources Manager