Today's Devotional

September 23, 2004

Subject:  And After Success Comes...? 

Luke 12:15 - "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

Okay, so you've got an IRA, a 401K, a million dollar insurance policy, a house on the hill, a garage full of new cars, an overflowing bank account and job security.  What's next?  

The context of the scripture passage above is two brothers fighting over an inheritance.  One of the brothers went to Christ and asked that Christ force the other brother to divide the inheritance with him.  The passage above is how Jesus responded.  Christ then went on to tell the parable about the rich man who stored up all of his fruits and began to build bigger and bigger barns and then died.  Later in that chapter of Luke, Christ says, "the life is more than meat and the body is more than raiment."

So what is life about then?  I think it is as Rick Warren says, it's about "significance."  This significance comes when we find out why God created us - yes, our purpose.  When we have purpose, we feel significant because purpose gives us a reason for wealth or even for poverty.  Purpose gives reason for good times and for bad.  It makes sense out of why I'm in this job and not in another one.  Multi-million dollar business men with no purpose commit suicide.  Actors and actresses who don't understand their purpose do drugs and get into illicit relationships.

So I say forget about success and go for significance.  Knowing that God has a distinct purpose for you where you are right now is part of that significance.  Once you find significance, you'll see that you were already successful, "and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." 

 Carlen