The Privileged Life: The Measure of Success
“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.” (John 3:34)
Here in the 21st century, everything is measured.
The exponential growth of internet data and pressures of social media have catapulted us into an age of numbers and reviews. Word of mouth has been replaced by five stars on websites.
We count calories, rate restaurants, “like” activities, vote for best of show, monitor our steps, review books, weigh ourselves, rate physicians or professors, keep up with athletes’ scores, and so much more. People go crazy trying to get top rankings for their video postings.
Is this how we should define ourselves? For our true success? Solely in statistics?
More than 40 years ago, I strapped on two narrow pieces of evil steel called “skis” and skidded down a patch of chunky snow at Beech Mountain, N.C. I have vivid memories of that first experience. It wasn’t pretty.
I butchered the bunny slope, falling constantly as I attempted to reach the bottom. After nearly a dozen attempts on the short run, I finally managed to slide down the entire length without taking a tumble. Yessss!!! In my eyes, I was wildly successful.
Surprisingly, I fell in love with skiing and became more proficient over time. My measure of success evolved from conquering the green-circle easy trails to taking the steep black-diamond runs.
The generous fellow who treated me to that first day of skiing, Dr. Kenny Lentz, was also successful in a way he could never have imagined. His kind gift had long-reaching ramifications—I led my dad, mom, brothers, their families, and friends to discover skiing with me on subsequent trips. I even taught my not-yet-husband how to ski…and he still proposed to me two months afterward! That was a big success.
Nowadays, I’m back to slowly scooting down easier slopes and have returned to my original goal…to get to the bottom without falling. But there are other ways to ascertain skiing success. Ski apps for your phone will clock your fastest speed, calculate how many vertical feet you’ve descended, and measure the distance you’ve covered. I downloaded two of them on our most recent trip and promptly discarded the embarrassing data afterward. It was not a brag-worthy review of my current prowess.
And that’s the problem with all of these measurements—the comparison trap. Either we beat someone else’s score (and get all puffed up) or we beat ourselves up for falling short. We can become obsessed with immediate numbers and lose sight of overall goals.
It’s tough to maintain the balance between making progress vs. decompensating over failing scores. I’m sure, if I were in a sales position today, I would lose sleep at night over my metrics. The cold-hearted business world now largely uses digital standards as the only way to judge an employee’s performance. Entire companies can rise or fall based on social media numbers. For me as an author, it’s very easy to fret over book reviews.
But then, I remind myself: I have a heavenly Father who doesn’t grade me on a numeric scale. He doesn’t keep score of my faults. He doesn’t say, “Well, you just hit your five millionth sin—you’re past the official limit.” Instead, He sent His son, Jesus, to pay the incalculable price for each of us, for the incalculable number of offenses we commit every day.
His grace is immeasurable, abundant, overflowing, and incapable of being contained. Jesus alluded to this grace when He encouraged His listeners to be generous in giving: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38)
How do you measure your accomplishments in life, then? Do you assign yourself points for your good deeds and demerits for sins and failures? Do you count yourself as a success based on your bank account balance or the number of things you’ve accomplished in a day?
I hope not.
Our gauge of success as Christians is found in only one achievement, and it’s not by us—it’s through Christ’s claim upon us. If He has called us to follow Him (even though we can’t do it perfectly), we have the glorious gift of His victory over death. We have won the prize of heaven because He has successfully risen from the grave. He even gives us His Holy Spirit to indwell us—not just a “little bit” of the Spirit but in boundless extent.
That, friends, is worth far more than the dollar value of jewels or a record-setting number at the Olympics…because His love is immeasurable. Let’s rejoice in that assurance today and sleep well in His peace!
Father God, how I thank You that You do not keep count of my iniquities—because You have plunged them into the very depths of the sea, to be forgotten. I praise You for Your Son’s mantle of righteousness, without limit, covering us through His death on the cross. Thank You, God, for Your grace and love, beyond measure. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years in business and journalism. Williams is the author of the novel To Love a Falcon and the devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing Infertility. Her weekly blogs are featured on Crossmap.com. To follow Nancy’s posts and news, go to her home page at http://lightbournecreative.com and subscribe at the bottom.
© Copyright 2024 Nancy C. Williams, Lightbourne Creative (text and photography)
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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