"Success"

July 29, 2024 | By Chuck

Several years ago, a famous singer commented in an interview that he had “more money than his grandchildren’s grandchildren could ever spend.”  I do not know the exact dollar amount, but it was obviously a lot of money.  And everyone looked at him and said he is a success.  It did not matter if he was a man of faith or integrity.  It did not matter what kind of husband he was.  No one cared how he acted offstage, because he was rich and famous, he was a success.  The world will tell you in a heart-beat that success is measured by wealth. 

            The temptation is to look at the rich and famous as the picture of success.  It is easy to notice their huge mansions, many expensive cars, and clothes and of course their elaborate vacations.  Most will say that is the life, that is what success is all about.  The problem with measuring success by wealth is money, no matter how much you have, is only good in this life.  The rich, the famous and the super wealthy will leave every penny they have behind at death.  No one leaves this world at death with the riches they have amassed. 

            Jesus in Luke 12:16-21, tells of a very wealthy farmer.  He was so wealthy he built larger barns to store his crops with the attitude that he would “relax, eat drink, be merry” (Lk.12:19).  “But God said to him, Fool!  This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?  So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Lk. 12:20-21).  True success is much deeper than money and stuff in this life.  A successful person is one who is rich toward God with an eternity of true wealth to look forward to in heaven.