I've been reading James, and two days ago I read James 1:10,11, and it struck a chord:
"And those who are rich should be glad, for God has humbled them. They will fade away like a flower in the field. The hot sun rises and dries up the grass; the flower withers, and its beauty fades away. So also, wealthy people will fade away with all of their achievments." James 1:10,11
Lots of people have a skewed perception of what success really is. Success isn't about winning awards, getting a high-paying job, having a family, lots of friends, or becoming famous. All such achievments will fade away in the end. Real success is knowing God personally, and living a life in fellowship with him. Real success is accepting Jesus and jumping into the river, the river Jesus. Lots of people see success as determined by how much money you have, how popular you are, measly stuff like that. Stuff on the outside--God looks on the inside, at what's in the heart. So success isn't wealth, having lots of stuff, receiving awards and creating beautiful achievments. Success is loving God with all your heart, mind and soul, and loving your neighbor as yourself--a walk with Jesus and abiding in Jesus. REAL LIFE.
If anyone says that wealth and popularity and fame are the things that step us up on God's love ladder (don't you know that God's love is unconditional?), then what about all those poor people who really know what it's like to LIVE because they have JESUS? What about those villagers who have nothing of worldly value, haven't even read a Bible, but only hear the truth from traveling missionaries? What about all those people who struggle for life, falling and getting up, and have nothing to show for it, except for the love of Jesus that radiates from their hearts? If wealth and materialism were the answer, why did God choose fishermen and a tax collector to be his 12 Apostles (11, if you scratch Judas Iscariot). Why did God choose David to lead a nation, when he was a mere, young shepherd boy? Why did God choose Paul to take the news of Christ to the Gentiles, when he was a part-time tent-maker? Why did he choose Moses to lead His people out of Egypt, when Moses was just an abandoned slave boy? Why did he choose Noah to build the Ark, who was a farmer?
God looks on the inside, not the outside--he looks at what really matters.
Success is about a relationship with Jesus--nothing more.
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