Finding Happiness In Real LifeSample

Finding Your Measure  

After reaching a major milestone, I asked myself whether I was finally successful. But as I searched my heart, I was stumped. I had never really defined success. Then, I thought about Jesus. He never went to college. He never wrote a book, and certainly was not a multimillionaire. He never owned any fancy clothing. He never even left the general area in which he was born. His life ended not with acclaim and accolades but with ridicule and pain. Yet, He is the most renowned human being who has ever lived. In light of this, what does true success look like for believers?

Jesus’ impact on humanity has been determined not by all He amassed in His life, but by all He left behind. Jesus lived to leave a legacy. The ultimate yardstick of success is not how much we have taken for ourselves in this life, but how much we have left behind for others. 

Jesus says to be on our guard against greed. Our life doesn’t consist in what we accumulate. It doesn’t consist in how many followers, book deals, or paychecks we have acquired. Rather, the measure of our life is this: are we following the one true God, yielding daily to His lordship, and walking in obedience produced by faith in Him? If we are, we can say that we’re truly living successfully.

How do you define success? Does your definition align with Jesus’ definition?