In the American culture success is often defined in terms of monetary achievement, popularity, position or power. I am not sure anyone really wants to be unsuccessful, but it would help if one had a sense of what success really is. I am of course speaking of a general sense that my life has been meaningful and successful overall rather than in a moment or task.
Someone once said, “Success is the progressive realization of a worthwhile dream.” Another defines success as the journey not the destination! Today I read, success is doing the best with what you have where you are!
When I reflect on my life I measure success in terms of relationships more than I do achievements or monetary status. The questions I ask to discover if I am on the road to success are similar to this.
“When I stand before God to give account for my life will I hear well done good and faithful servant?”
“If someone speaks to my wife after I am gone will she say that I was a loving and supportive husband? Did I contribute to her destiny or diminish her as a person?”
“Can my children look back upon our relationship and say that they were proud to have me as their dad? Will they say of me that I built into their lives principles and values that made them productive and vibrate citizens of this world?”
“Will my friends and acquaintances remember me as one who added to their lives and encouraged them to be all they can be? Will they be able to say they were better off for knowing me?”
“Will creation itself be better off for me being here?”
Sure I want monetary achievement. I do not want to be poor or struggle to provide for my family the basics of life. Neither do I want to be so preoccupied with earning a living that I miss out on the true meaning of Life. I like the story in the Bible when the lawyer questions Jesus about the greatest commandment in the Law. Jesus replied to the question, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘ Love your neighbor as yourself.’…”
What I have found in my life is being in right relationship with the Creator aligns me for right relationships with people and things. I think the Book of Proverbs says it best, “The awesome respect of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom or knowledge.” So living a sucessful life may be more about how we live then what we earn or achive.
Like this:
Like Loading...
