Success isn't what you think!

Mine’s bigger than yours, I’m stronger, I’m faster, I own, I’m more, I have…  any of that lot sound familiar? It’s good to achieve and be productive we’re created to bear fruit, but it’s not good to compare. Comparison is unhelpful because it places measurement on something unmeasurable. It lures us into the trap of self-satisfaction or at the other extreme total discouragement and it blinds us to the truth.  Think of the Empire State Building, it was designed by a bloke called William Lamb to compete with the Chrysler building and be taller - classic case of mine’s bigger than yours!  But who said taller was better, who made that the bench mark for excellence? In comparing, the achievement and beauty, the uniqueness of each wonderful building was obscured. Guys human kind has a confused sense of what success really is. We think power, movement, passion, speed, mass and strength are the characteristics of success but the truth is they are only part of the story. There is mystery and detail and a bigger picture; a picture where only God’s rule of thumb matters  - A picture where our petty positioning for power is as nothing before the source of all power itself.

God views our success from outside of time and He understands what has been invested and nurtured in the hidden soil of our hearts. God sees what you’ve had to overcome to sow in your small corner and I in mine... And His word tells us not to compare 2 Cor 12-18. I love that God has a purpose, He has a big picture and I’m a wee part of that! He sees every act born of love for His son Jesus. Peeps God sees…  He sees the chairs we stack, the meals we cook, or the prayers we pray. He sees the unity we build, the hugs we give, He sees the loving of the unlovely and hurts endured in the mess of service and He credits it to us. When we serve like we’re serving Jesus Christ Himself doing our best, giving it our all we forget the need to compare and jostle for attention because we will know our purpose.  Folks let’s NOT go compare – let’s determine to keep our eyes on Him and do our utmost in this short life to please Him alone!

Hugs Ruth x