In Asian culture, there exists the strong and heavy stereotype that revolves around parents always wanting their children to be doctors, lawyers or teachers. There are, of course, many other occupations which are considered successful today, but I shall not list them all. As such, we, as children, are motivated (or pressured) to study hard and strive for good grades to get into the best universities and land the highest paying jobs.
How do we define or identify success? Is someone who won the lottery or came into a large sum of inheritance successful? Success can never be measured by money. Furthermore, the Bible has warned us about the love of money as seen in 1 Timothy 6:9-11. The individual who is doing the most with what they’ve got is truly successful, not the one who becomes the richest or the one who has the most fame. When we use the talents that God has given us to mature,not just as a person but as a Christian, that is when we succeed.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to be successful or rather, not wanting to fail. Who wants to be mediocre or to fail? We will all want success in our family and personal lives. However, where do we draw the line between pursuing it for the world and pursuing it for God? Ask ourselves if our focus is on the physical needs of this world without concern for the souls of men, does God see this as success?
We can look at the story of King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26), who had lived successfully but ultimately, the success that he had led to his pride, which resulted in his suffering from leprosy. In verse 5, we are told that if Uzziah had continued to seek God, God would give him success. Therefore, we know that success is good if it comes from God and is used for His purpose. Even if you are deemed as unsuccessful on this earth, when you live by seeking God and His wisdom through His word, God considers this as success.
You will realize that the success granted by God will also provide you with opportunities to do more for the Lord’s work. Uzziah was a great leader with countless followers, which led to his great fame. This was his opportunity to tell more people of the greatness of the God, which blessed him so richly. Whether you are a business owner, or an employee, are you actively using your blessings to do more for God?
Eventually, we can see Uzziah’s downfall spelled clearly in verse 16, “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.” According to the Law of Moses, Uzziah’s action was an act of disobedience towards God. (Num 18:1-7) Even when the priests had told him about his mistake, he did not take their warnings to heed. At the end, God struck him with leprosy for the rest of his life.
How then can we continue to pursue success that is right according to God? We should see our physical work as ultimately serving Him. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.” We should continue to obey his Word and use our talents to do His work. Every person has a different measure of abilities, however this should not hinder us from giving our best to the Lord. God knows our capabilities better than us and our successes are not measured by the result that we achieve but by the degree of effort that we put in. Don’t forget to always give your best to the Master.
Ask Yourself:
What are some things we can do in our pursuit for success in God’s sight?
What does Uzziah’s downfall teach us?
How do you define the success of the Church?
Suggested Answers:
Meditate on His word daily, use our influence to spread the Gospel and live a life that glorifies Him.
Success is dangerous if we do not guard it against our pride and ego. We are to continuously work on our self-awareness so as to avoid getting complacent.
You may discuss this with the writer or your Bible class teacher.