TRUE MEASURE OF SUCCESS

“Beware ! Don’t be greedy for what you don’t have. Real life is not measured by how much we own.”

Luke 12: 15

Success in the world system is measured by how much wealth one has accumulated. The rich people are considered as the most successful. This is the main driving force behind everyman’s hardwork. Hardwork is good and highly commended in the Bible but it should not be used as a means to satisfy one’s covetousness.

The rich are highly honored in the world. They are given the best seat wherever they go. They are highly esteemed people. They live in the most expensive communities and villages. They drive the most expensive cars. They are dressed with the most expensive wardrobe. They eat the best cuisine. No wonder it becomes everyone’s dream to be rich.

So covetousness becomes the driving force behind hardwork. So every people in the world covet the lifestyle of the rich. So many people become discontented in their life, dissatisfied with just having the basic things in life. So they pursue for their worldly ambitions and turn away from the ways of God.

But Jesus says, “Real life is not measured by how much we own.” In Jesus mindset to become rich is not synanimous to being successful.For Him, success is not measured by the worldly standard. What is then the true measure of success ? It is written in I John 2:17 :

“And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.”

Everything in the world, all the things it crave such as wealth,material possessions, money, position,power,prestige,etc. are all bound to fade away. The world system is not meant to last forever. There will be an end for everything. Worldly success is not bound for eternity for one day God will judge the world and will destroy it. Those who hold on to the things the world give will be greatly frustrated.

And who will remain forever ? According to the passage those who do the will of God will live forever.Can you count on to your earthly wealth to make you live forever ? Even the world’s richest people have no power to make themselves live forever. Their vast wealth cannot make them live for eternity. When they die,they cannot bring their wealth to their tombs. They have to pass it to somebody else, to their next generation.

Can we then consider worldly wealth as a measure of success if it has no power to make us live for eternity. Therefore the measure of success is based upon whether you have fulfilled the ”Will of God” in your own life for this will make us live forever. You can say that you are successful then if at the end of your life you can pronounce what apostle Paul has said before he died: “I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”

Apostle Paul was able to say this because he was able to fulfill the mission God entrusted to him. He was able to do the “will of God” in his life therefore Paul’s life is indeed a great success.