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God’s Idea of Success Is Different Than the World’s Idea of Success

By David Chancey
Contributing Writer

George Barnard Shaw said, “There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want; the other is getting it.” America is obsessed with success. We work hard to get what we want. From the early days of our youth, we are encouraged to compete to be number one, whether it’s winning the spelling bee or ranking at the top of our graduating class. Setting our minds on a goal and driving until we reach that goal makes us a success, we think. Success is a destination.

Or, in our consumer-minded society, we think success is accumulation. He who has the most toys wins. We kill ourselves to make six figures, to climb the ladder to more power and influence, and to accumulate more than the next guy. Success is measured by possessions.

Three businessmen were comparing ideas on what they thought it meant to be successful. “I’d say I had arrived,” said the first, “if I were summoned to the White House for a private, personal meeting with the president of the United States.”

“To me,” said the second man, “success would mean meeting with the president in the oval office, having the hot line ring during our talk, and watching the president ignore it.”

The third said, “I think you’re a success if you’re privately consulting with the president, the hot line rings, he picks it up, and says, ‘it’s for you.’”

How do you define success? How does God define success? The Bible defines success in two ways that are much different than America’s definition of success. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 4:1 and 2, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”

Paul sees himself as Christ’s subordinate to Christ, a servant, and he sees himself as a steward, one who is entrusted to manage something valuable for someone else. He says stewards must be found faithful. How do you measure faithfulness? In church life, is faithfulness just showing up and being there?

Faithfulness is demonstrated by loyalty and dedication to the Lord, by obedience to the Lord, and by perseverance. Faithful servants put God first and show their total dedication by trusting and obeying God throughout the entire course of their life.

The Bible also says success is measure by fruitfulness. Not only must we be faithful, but also we must allow God to produce fruit in our lives. The Bible refers to at least three kinds of fruit in our lives.

First is the fruit of Christian character. According to Galatians 5:22-23, our lives should be characterized by love, joy, long-suffering, longsuffering, kindnesss, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Second is the fruit of Christian conduct. Right character results in right conduct. Not only must we look like Jesus; we must act like Jesus. We constantly ask ourselves, “what would Jesus do in this situation? How would Jesus respond in these circumstances?”

Third is the fruit of converts. God wants us to take as many people with us to heaven as possible.

How are you doing with your faithfulness? How are you doing with your fruit-bearing? God’s picture of success is different than the world’s idea of success.