How do you measure success? how will you know when you are successful?
There are several ways people measure success. In the eyes of many a very wealthy person is successful. To others, it is the person who has reached the top of his or her profession. Being looked up to by our peers is another measure. To the athlete, it is winning the championship. To the student It’s winning the scholarship.
This is how we measure success, but God has a different measure.
King Solomon, perhaps the wisest man to ever live said: “…… the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor wealth to the brilliant, or favor to those with knowledge ….”(Ecclesiastes 9:11).
The Prophet Jeremiah said it this way ” This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these things I delight, declares the Lord’ ” (Jeremiah 9: 23, 24).
Yes, we do need to be educated, and we do need to take care of our physical body, and we do need to earn money. But these things are temporal and may be gone tomorrow. We will not take them into eternity with us.
The truly successful person is the one who knows and serves his Creator. Therefore, the poor and rich, the uneducated and educated, the weak and strong can all find fulfillment in life.
In all of your efforts do not overlook God’s measure of success which is your worship of and your service to Him. Do this and one day you will hear the words: “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”
I would love to hear the story of your success as you follow Jesus.