February
10, 2014
[Pastorgraphs now online at ChristSD.com]
Pastorgraphs: “Ten Simple Keys to Success”
“In everything you
do, put God first,
and he will direct
you and crown your efforts with success.”
(Proverbs 3:6, Living Bible)
Success is
pretty simple. Not easy, but simple.
Of course,
all depends on what and how you define success for yourself. Defining what
success looks like for you will determine how you live your life. When you have
a clear, precise definition of success, everything else in your life aligns to
that goal, for good or bad.
If you
define success as pride, power and passion, then you will follow those
pathways. But hear what the Bible says, “What good is it for someone to gain
the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36).
Jesus
warned about the snares of the world preventing true success: “…all too quickly
the attractions of this world and the delights of wealth, and the search
for success and lure of nice things come in and crowd out God’s
message from their hearts.” (Mark 4:19)
On the
other hand, if you define success as a life well lived, filled with love, faith
and true happiness, then you are on your way to real success.
The formula
for success has been around for centuries. King Solomon, one of the richest and
wisest men to ever live, wrote: “He who loves wisdom loves his own best
interest and will be a success. (Proverbs 19:8). Notice Solomon did
not say “might be a success”; he promised “will be a success”.
So what is
success? Is it achievable? And how do you measure if your life is successful or
not? I offer the following:
Ten
Simple Keys to Success (Your choices)
1. Abundance or Wealth. Success has little to do with
money. But most people equate success with wealth. Many of the richest people
seem to be the most unhappy. Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life,
more abundantly.” That abundance does not equate to money; it has to do with
the genuine qualities of life that money cannot buy. Where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
2. Happiness or Pleasure. Happiness is the state of
well-being. Pleasures are not necessarily bad, but when laughter stops, the
high vanishes, and the thrill is gone, they must be replaced with another. A
successful person knows how to be content, as the Apostle Paul said, “whatever
state I am in”.
3. Purpose or Possessions. A life well lived is one in
which you find and fulfill your purpose in life rather than stockpiling
possessions. Success is giving life your best, regardless of your station in
life. A successful person leaves this world better than they found it.
4. People or Things. The world wants us to believe the
person who ends life with the most “toys” wins. I saw a woman on TV who had
hundreds of very expensive shoes in her closet, most of which she has never
worn. Honest, positive relationships are more enduring than possessions.
5. Spirit or Body. The reality of life is that as we
mature and age, the body grows weaker, but the spirit can grow stronger. Take
note this week of all the advertisements focusing on beauty, clothing, and the
body. Then count the ads that focus on the spirit and soul. We will be much
happier if we spent even a fraction as much time and money on our spirit and
soul as we do our bodies.
6. Wisdom or Knowledge. Solomon’s promise of success begins
with a love of wisdom. He should know. That is where he began. Jesus said,
“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and then all these things will be added unto
you.” Knowledge is good, but wisdom is better.
7. Peace or Popularity. An instant recipe for unhappiness is
to try to please everyone. Peace comes from within, not from money or fame.
Successful people have the inner spiritual “peace that passes understanding”.
8. Eternity or Now. A successful person does not live
for the moment. He or she has the willpower to defer instant gratification for
the greater good. And that doesn’t just mean putting money aside for our older
age. Life at best is short. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth where they can erode
away or may be stolen. Store them in heaven where they will never lose their
value and are safe from thieves. If your profits are in heaven, your heart will
be there too.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
9. Wholeness or Division. Walter Cronkite once said, “Success
is more permanent when you achieve it without destroying your principles.” A
successful person is not one person at work, another at home, and yet another
at play. A successful person is ONE person, regardless of who is looking.
10.Integrity or Hypocrisy. When we were children, we learned to
win at play games. Unfortunately, many continue to play games with themselves
and others; still trying to “win”. Living an authentic, genuine life is the
only way to success. It requires desire, determination and dedication.
Someone
said, “The two hardest things to handle in life are failure and success.” There
is a lot of truth to that. Success has wrecked many lives for those whose
foundation was not prepared for it.
You are
getting close to success when you realize you have things the richest person
cannot buy: love, family, genuine friends, health, happiness, peace, joy, time
(to name just a few) and most of all faith!
But back to
the guarantee of success. In my book on Integrity, I wrote: “The question is
never about whether a person of integrity will be successful. The life of
integrity guarantees success in living. That does not means you will become a
millionaire, a movie star, or invent the next best thing. It does mean, without
question, you will be successful in living, for you have your priorities in
order, and your values at work.” Living a life of integrity will make you a
priceless resource for your family, business, church and community. It’s the
best way to “get promoted”. Again, it’s really pretty simple. Not easy, but
simple.
May God
grant you success.
Devotedly
yours, Bill Jenkins
From the
Quote Garden:
“He has achieved success who has
lived well, laughed often, and loved much; who has enjoyed the trust of pure
women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has
filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than
he found it, whether an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who
has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose
life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction.”
~ Bessie A. Stanley ~
(also attributed to
others)
Christ United Methodist Ministry
Center
“Christ
in the Heart of San Diego”
3295
Meade Avenue - San Diego, CA 92116 - (619) 284-9205
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