Letting God Redefine Success - Your Nightly Prayer - August 25
Letting God Redefine Success
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,...” - Matthew 20:26
SOMETHING TO PONDER
If we were to ask the average person on the street to define success, we would be sure to get a lot of different answers. Yet in this world, there seem to be some consistent themes, at least based on even a minimal observation of society today. One need only look at the influence and impact of so-called celebrities and the incomes of professional athletes. Wealth. Power. Achievement. Some might define success as raising a happy family. Others, health and long life. However, our Lord expresses success quite differently.
In Matthew 20, the mother of John and James came to Jesus, asking Him to give her sons a special designation in the kingdom (v. 21b). The other ten heard of this and were quite outraged by the other two. Of course, the apostles had all argued before about who was greatest, even on the night before His crucifixion (Luke 22:24). And yet, Jesus repeatedly taught them otherwise. Just before His crucifixion, “I am among you as One who serves.” (Luke 22:27)
“As One who serves.”
Those words define a significant teaching for us. Success as defined by our Lord is quite different – the polar opposite, in fact – of what we see and feel and experience in this world. Jesus could not have spoken this more clearly than in His words to the apostles following the conflict, “…whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant…” He then explained, again, that the Son of Man had come not to be served, but to serve. (Matthew 20: 26-28) The Lord defines our success in this world not by what we accomplish – but by how we serve others.
Please don’t misunderstand. The purpose behind serving others is not to earn anything – it is to align our hearts with God’s purposes. That said, the rewards, even in this world, are indescribable. The feelings of appreciation from those served…well, it is what comes from a warm heart.
Of course, this is perhaps one of the Lord’s most challenging teachings. It is likely one of the reasons He tells us to “count the cost” of discipleship, and that we are called to deny ourselves and take up our cross. To be successful in the Lord’s eyes, we are to serve Him by serving others. And the message is consistent throughout scripture.
It is not about going to church on Sunday. It isn’t even about how well we know the Bible and pray – although all of that is very important. But let’s make the main thing the main thing – we are here to love others as we love ourselves, and that is accomplished through service. Through helping others. That is success, as taught by Jesus.
We must turn to the Father in prayer and seek His help, because so many of us cannot live the lives we are called to live without it. Without surrendering our hearts to the Holy Spirit and following His leadership and His guidance. Not everyone can spend their lives as Mother Theresa did – nor are we called to do so. But each of us can keep our eyes and hearts open to what is all around us. Sometimes the mission field is not across the ocean – it’s right across the street or even within our own home, serving our spouse.
Inconvenient to your job and goals at work or financially? Well, I guess that’s sort of the point. We are to put others ahead of ourselves. We are to readjust our goals with the calling of our Lord, aren’t we? And if we feel we don’t want to – then let us pray to God to want to want to.
God indeed measures success quite differently from the world we live in. Jesus told His disciples, “…he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” (Luke 9:48) Wealth, power, influence, achievement, celebrity…these are all irrelevant to eternal success. Biblical success that pleases and glorifies our Lord is being known by Him – and serving Him by serving others in Jesus’ name. Now – as Jesus commanded - “Go and do likewise.”
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Father in heaven, please help me. On my own, I cannot live as you would have me live. I cannot be the one you created me to be without help from your Holy Spirit. Warm my heart, Lord, towards those around me and give me the desire to serve. Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
Head. We know what the Lord desires of us – we need to let it travel the short distance to our hearts and help us fulfill a desire to serve.
Heart. Let us remember that success is not in our actions but in aligning our hearts with God’s desires and intent.
Act. Finally, with our hearts now driving us, let us fulfill the Lord’s calling by stepping out in faith.
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Todd Diemer
Greg doesn’t pretend to be a pastor, a theologian, or a Bible expert, but offers the perspective of an everyday guy on the same journey as everyone else – in pursuit of truth.
Greg can be reached by email or on Facebook @ Greg Grandchamp - Author.
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