Success. It's a word that is heard often in our society. Our parents tell us, work hard in school so that you can succeed later on in life. People tell us, whatever you do, give it your best and you can succeed. From time to time we heard of this successful businessman, doctor or lawyer. Our whole society seems to geared up towards "success".
But what is success? Simply defined, it is the accomplishment of something that one sets out to do. But this means that success is actually subjective, it varies from person to person, depending on what that person set out to do in his or her life. A little child who sets out to walk across the living room for the first time and makes it has as much right to say he has succeeded, as the businessman who has earned his first million.
But the flaw in our understanding of success is that we have come to see it as something objective, something with a fixed meaning. And this is due in no small part to the influence of the society that we live in. Here in Singapore success has come to be defined as a successful career and material wealth. I remember one of my friends telling me, "What's your idea of success? Mine is to earn lots and lots of money." As people earn more and advance higher, they are deemed more and more successful. In other societies and cultures success is viewed differently- raising a good family, living a devoted religious life, and so forth.
And herein lies the challenge for Christians- Wherever we are, we must be able to discern the values of the world we live in and not subscribe to them blindly if they are not what the Lord teaches us. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2. Let our minds be thus renewed to see that what the world seeks after is often not what the Lord wants us to seek after, and let us respond by walking differently after our Lord.
What then is success for a Christian? There is no better example than our Lord Jesus Himself. Early in His ministy, as described in the Gospel of John, He said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." John 4:34. He echoed this again later, when facing His impending crucifixion, "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name." John 12:27-28. Jesus set out to do only one thing on Earth, and that was the will of His Father. And that He gloriously accomplished, as He hung on the Cross and died for the sins of the world, crying "It is finished!" (John 19:30). The cry of victory, the cry of success!
The Apostle Paul was one who caught this vision of success. Near the end of his life he said, "And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:22-24. He wrote in Philippians, "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:13-14. If we could ask Paul what his definition of success was today, I am sure his answer would have been the same as the Lord Jesus'- to finish the work that God has given me.
And so may our own view of success in this life be the same- to finish the work that God has given us. Hearing the word "work", you may be thinking- pastor, businessman, doctor, missionary, etc. But we must not make the mistake of thinking that God's work is equal to our occupation; that is a reflection of the values of our society which places such a high premium on career. No, no; our occupation is merely our playing field, our workplace- the real work that God has for us, is the same for all. Whether pastor or businessman, doctor or cleaner, politician or hawker, the work is to spread the good news of the Lord, to share His love with one and all, minister to His people, fight injustice here on earth, and to further the establishment of His Kingdom in the hearts of men. The list goes on and on. That is the real work that He calls us to. In what capacity each of us does this is between us and the Lord; we must each pray and seek out the Lord's path for us in our lives, and each of us is personally accountable to Him.
May we all live such that one day we will personally hear those sweet words from the lips of our Lord Himself- "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your lord."
But what is success? Simply defined, it is the accomplishment of something that one sets out to do. But this means that success is actually subjective, it varies from person to person, depending on what that person set out to do in his or her life. A little child who sets out to walk across the living room for the first time and makes it has as much right to say he has succeeded, as the businessman who has earned his first million.
But the flaw in our understanding of success is that we have come to see it as something objective, something with a fixed meaning. And this is due in no small part to the influence of the society that we live in. Here in Singapore success has come to be defined as a successful career and material wealth. I remember one of my friends telling me, "What's your idea of success? Mine is to earn lots and lots of money." As people earn more and advance higher, they are deemed more and more successful. In other societies and cultures success is viewed differently- raising a good family, living a devoted religious life, and so forth.
And herein lies the challenge for Christians- Wherever we are, we must be able to discern the values of the world we live in and not subscribe to them blindly if they are not what the Lord teaches us. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2. Let our minds be thus renewed to see that what the world seeks after is often not what the Lord wants us to seek after, and let us respond by walking differently after our Lord.
What then is success for a Christian? There is no better example than our Lord Jesus Himself. Early in His ministy, as described in the Gospel of John, He said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." John 4:34. He echoed this again later, when facing His impending crucifixion, "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name." John 12:27-28. Jesus set out to do only one thing on Earth, and that was the will of His Father. And that He gloriously accomplished, as He hung on the Cross and died for the sins of the world, crying "It is finished!" (John 19:30). The cry of victory, the cry of success!
The Apostle Paul was one who caught this vision of success. Near the end of his life he said, "And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:22-24. He wrote in Philippians, "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:13-14. If we could ask Paul what his definition of success was today, I am sure his answer would have been the same as the Lord Jesus'- to finish the work that God has given me.
And so may our own view of success in this life be the same- to finish the work that God has given us. Hearing the word "work", you may be thinking- pastor, businessman, doctor, missionary, etc. But we must not make the mistake of thinking that God's work is equal to our occupation; that is a reflection of the values of our society which places such a high premium on career. No, no; our occupation is merely our playing field, our workplace- the real work that God has for us, is the same for all. Whether pastor or businessman, doctor or cleaner, politician or hawker, the work is to spread the good news of the Lord, to share His love with one and all, minister to His people, fight injustice here on earth, and to further the establishment of His Kingdom in the hearts of men. The list goes on and on. That is the real work that He calls us to. In what capacity each of us does this is between us and the Lord; we must each pray and seek out the Lord's path for us in our lives, and each of us is personally accountable to Him.
May we all live such that one day we will personally hear those sweet words from the lips of our Lord Himself- "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your lord."
