How do you define success?  We all know the names of Sam Walton, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Warren Buffet, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and many others from business and sports.  We also recognize the names of Billy Graham and Rick Warren from the Christian community.  The word “success” comes to mind quickly as these names are mentioned.  The real question is how do you define true success?  “True success for the Christian is that a man becomes the person God created him to be and achieves the work God has purposed for his life.”  Success can be measured by two different perspectives.  One is by the world and the second is by God’s plan for a man.  They can both exist in the same person but one (God’s standard) takes priority.  One can be bought by material achievement but the other has already been bought by God’s only Son and is revealed in God’s Word.

The world encourages material prosperity, position and personal comfort over what is written in God’s Word.  Scripture says we are successful when we become more like Jesus and follow God’s direction and purpose.  Our mind is like a computer with written programs that determine our thoughts, attitudes, values and actions.  We need to let God’s Word be our written software programs to determine our decisions and ultimate success.  Truth from God’s written programs to us will counter and overcome the constant barrage of worldly and ungodly influences.  To the Christian leader, success is to become more like Jesus and to lead a life and family to honor Him.  You have never seen a U-Haul trailer following a hearse carrying a leader who has passed away.  The better question is how many times have you witnessed a successful Christian man followed by lives committed to Christ because the man was a success in God’s sight?  “Will this be said of your Christian life and leadership?”