If we asked people what they considered to be the true measure of success the answers may give an insight to what motivates individuals. Some may be striving for more money, a successful career, healthy relationships or a quality family life. When we turn our gaze towards others we can unwittingly base this on first impressions: how someone looks or sounds: do they dress 'right', do they say the 'right' things and so on. If our politicians don't look and sound the part we're unsure if we should vote for them and the image obsessed modern media adds to this uncertainty. There is also significant pressure through the modern media to have the 'ideal' look or body type. All this and more provides a measuring rod for success, so we think 'if I look the part, if my face fits, I will get that job' or 'if I can get to the gym more and achieve my ideal body shape I'll feel better about my life'. We can also measure success through constant viewing of our friends and contacts on social media which shows them on holiday or enjoying key moments in their lives. This is not to say that using social media or earning money or trying to have a successful career or keeping fit are wrong pursuits but it can become a distraction if our view of success is defined by them.
I want to encourage us to consider two different measurements for success:
1) THE INSIDE LIFE
I once read that 'the heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart'. The motivation or attitude within our hearts, that is, our inner desires or what we hold precious is really what directs our lives and impacts human relationships. Jesus advised his audience: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6v21); out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12v34b).The attitude of the human heart has an inestimable power to affect our present and future as it has affected the past. That is why Jesus continually referred to it. The heart attitude is of great interest to God. This is seen clearly in how the successor was chosen for Israel's King Saul: The Lord said to Samuel 'Do not look on his appearance or his height...man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart' (1 Samuel 16v7 abbreviated). At this point we see that things are not working out with King Saul who at the beginning had looked impressive: 1 Samuel 10v23 > as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. We can be impressed by tall people and those who are physically imposing. The challenge here is to look deeper. God measures our success by what is going on inside us not by what is seen on the outside. So, the inside life needs to be affecting the outside life. In fact, it should be dictating to it!
2) WELL SPOKEN OF
A measure of success that I continually invite to challenge me is through the question: do people speak well of me? Once I was at a training course and one of those attending announced: 'Joel, everyone likes you'. Now this may not happen all the time but it was encouraging to hear it on this occasion. I believe that one of the greatest ways Christians and the church witness to the world around them about the love of God is by having others speak well of them. It is worth mentioning two people in the Bible that we are told people 'spoke well of' - Cornelius and Timothy (see Acts 10v22 & Acts 16v1-2). Cornelius was a generous person who helped those less fortunate than himself. He was a giver! It was not difficult for him to draw a large crowd to his house (Acts 10v27) to hear the good about Jesus because people liked him. As for Timothy, he was also someone people spoke well of and the apostle Paul wanted to take him along on his journeys (see Acts 16v1-3). Put another way, Timothy was a person people wanted to spend time with. Paul refers to him affectionately as 'my dear son'; he thanks God for Timothy, he prays for him constantly, recalls his tears, his sincerity and longs to see him because he is a joy to be around (see 2 Timothy 1v1-5). Wow! If we can get revelation on this we will know increased occasions of impacting the lives of others because people speak well of us.
So, let us live in the freedom and strength of God's grace by both being aware of the inside life which directs the rest of our lives and being aware that we need to consider if people speak well of us - in the workplace, at home and as we represent the church. Perhaps it is time to revaluate the true measure of success.
