What is success?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Success in life. Success in business. Success in school. Spiritual success. Success as a church. How do you define success? There are probably almost as many definitions as there are people - we all have different goals, different pictures in our minds of where we want to be.
I think of St. Paul as a spiritual success. He established churches all over the Roman Empire. He even preached to pagan kings. As a pastor, he wrote thirteen letters to churches that are a part of our Bible today.
And yet, if you look at his life, you may wonder if he was really a success. He wrote four of his letters from prison, incarcerated for his preaching work. He was publicly whipped. In fact, one time he had opposing preachers putting him down. Here’s how Paul answers his detractors. These are his credentials as an apostle. This is how he shows his success:
16 Again I say, don’t think that I am a fool to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little. 17 Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool. 18 And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too. 19 After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools! 20 You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face. 21 I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that!
But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. (2 Corinthians 11.16-27, New Living Translation of the Bible)
Paul lists strange “achievements”, doesn’t he? Rather than pointing to the number of churches he established or the number of people he helped convert to Christ, he points to his suffering, to the problems he encountered because of his mission. This is how he shows that he’s a real person of faith.
Now, Paul was speaking with some irony in this passage, but I think there’s an important point that we can draw from this text. God doesn’t call Christians or churches to be “successful”. He calls people to be “faithful”. He calls people to obey him, to follow him.
If you read your Bible, most of the people you read about would not have been counted successful. Many of the prophets were ostracized, abused, imprisoned, or even murdered. Jesus himself was executed as a criminal. The Apostle Paul, whom I wrote about above, was executed as a criminal. But they were faithful to the end, living out the calling that God gave them.
How about you?
Peace,
Matt