Can a man be regarded as successful if his accomplishments are never noticed or recognized by another? Is it possible to be successful within ourselves without some form of vanity or pride?
“For there is no respect of persons with God.” (Romans 2:11)
Can we honestly do all that we do for the glory of God with no thoughts of rewards, without the desires of heaven, solely and completely out of a love for the Lord Jesus Christ, giving not one thought to ourselves? Even Paul said, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2nd Tim. 4:8)
In the eyes of the world, success is easily seen, it is based in the accumulation of wealth, in the man who raises a family of honest, hard-working children, the research scientist who discovers a cure, the physician who heals, the famous actress or sports star. Even we who have been born-again lift up as successful the prophets and apostles of old, examples of men and women from the Scriptures that in part we attempt to emulate, to behave and serve as they did, striving for the mark, so that we also will not simply enter into the Kingdom of the Most High, but hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” from our Creator Himself.
Yet to seek for success in any endeavor seems almost prideful to us, and when accomplishments are achieved and recognition is offered for them, it can seem almost sinful, against God Himself, to accept them.
“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1st Cor. 4:7)
Yet, if we accomplish nothing, if there is no fruit to our labors, if all we do is what we have been commanded to do, we are unprofitable.
Can we truly serve for the glory of God only, solely to lift up His name without hope of any rewards for our efforts, can we in all honestly reject every accolade or recognition for our achievements for the Almighty by our peers, our brothers and sisters in Christ, telling them to give the glory to God?
Is the worker worthy of his wages?
This short letter to you my friends has, in a sense, two foundations, one foot on pride, the other on humility. How can a man of God used by God for His glory accept his wages from the Lord and at the same time do so in all humility, while rejecting the offerings of praise from those who offer that praise solely for the glory of the Almighty?
We set Christ on high, yet just beneath Him who? Moses? Paul? David?
“The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne.” (Rev. 4:10)
Indeed, yet that happens more than once, inferring that the Lord returns those crowns to them.
The feeling of unworthiness to be used for His glory does not only rest within those who are used for His glory in this life my friends but will be known as truth to us throughout eternity. Even the hint of pride can begin to destroy humility.
Success, just exactly what is it? Does it truly exist?
“The name of the wicked shall rot.” (Prov. 10:7b)
Not for those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ it doesn’t.
The amount of rewards or crowns some will receive from the Lord of Glory, does that indicate success in His Kingdom?
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:10)
The mind that serves the Lord Jesus Christ does so solely for the glory of the Living God, it is for Him to decide how much we will receive in His Kingdom.
Recognizing that truth is what makes us successful here.
