THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS

---- This was a question from a good friend in our usual lunch get-together with the rest of the gang..... 'what is the true measure of success?'

That's a good question, don't you think? The answers vary and it will depend on that person's sense of priorities in life..... on what he deems far more essential to make one's mark in the world. So when I heard that question I waited to hear what others would say bout it. It can be so revealing.

A nice house and car or houses and cars, a high position, dozens of titles attached to their name, substantial bank account, expensive clothes, the best of schools for their children, a successful profession and career, travels several times a year, luxury perks, and moving in high social circles.

All well and good. It's all been worked hard for. Those were and are dreams fulfilled. Blessings from a good God.

Just like everybody else I have my own dreams... some have materialized, some are still in the work process. But as the years go by and after looking in serious retrospect at my world and everything in it, I saw something else which shook up my thinking cells big time and made it rearrange themselves - reorganize - regroup - reset.

This is a material world. I understand that; we all do. That's the world we have been born and grew up in and live with. And around us are many of material people living in the same material world. How is anyone ever going to escape that?

We can't. It's the only world we've got. But instead of trying to escape this consuming materialism which engulfs every area of our lives.... we should live through it just as we would but also resolutely rise above it just as we should.

We are given far more than just the material. We can do far more than just the material too. Because the bottom line is that after all has been said and done --- we must and should measure up to the measure that God intends to use with us.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

" Always demanding the best of oneself,
living with honor,
devoting one's talents and gifts to the benefits of others -
these are the measures of success that endure
when material things have passed away. "
- Gerald R. Ford