Recently, I saw one of the Jason Bourne movies, and thought to myself, “Psh, I could do that, well, maybe?” OK, to be completely honest, I would not stand a chance, and those of you who know me personally can stop laughing now ;-). Some people have talents and skills that others will never attain. There are those incredibly talented, quick-thinking individuals who know exactly how many people are around them and what their threat level is, people like Jason Bourne. Then, of course there are those that are just smarter than other people. Some people are able to attain things and titles in life that others can not, due to their intelligence, or perhaps opportunities were made available to them that were not made available to you.
People tend to try to be a “somebody”. To be unique and to stand out. The bottom line is that everybody wants to matter. Man can do one of two things: Go it alone, or go with God. He will either try to find fulfillment on his own, or he will find fulfillment in his relationship with his loving Heavenly Father.
Many will spend their entire lives trying to attain value in the eyes of others by going it alone, investing an enormous amount of time and energy trying to obtain both things and titles in the hope of being “somebody”.
The Guy With The Most Toys Wins
When I was 20 years old, I worked for UPS, loading and unloading hundreds of packages into 40-foot tractor trailers. One day, a package-car driver told me, “The guy who dies with the most toys wins.” What a pathetic outlook on life. In one statement, he conveyed his entire world view. Unfortunately, this is how man measures success. It is completely devoid of God.
Things and Titles
Man measures his value based on what he has or does not have. This often can be seen in the job title he holds, his position in a company, the car he drives, how large his house is, and the man toys that adorn his two-car garage. Unfortunately, believers have also adopted this way of thinking. They reason that the more one has, the more “successful” he is, and in turn, the more blessed he is by God.
The Trap of Man’s Measure
This way of thinking is a trap. It leads to endless striving and dissatisfaction. When you base your worth on things and titles, you always chase more, never feeling enough. God’s way is different, focusing on who you are in Him.
The Standard of Measure
What if “success” (the gathering of things and titles) is not even the standard of measure? What if what we value as important is not even remotely close to what God values as important? In other words, what if our standard of measure is completely off? Matthew 6:33 tells us, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you,” showing that God’s measure is relationship with Him, not material success.
God Values Relationship
Man has taken what God has established as valuable (relationship), and has replaced it with titles and things. It’s not what you have, it’s who you have. This relationship with the Father gives you true worth, not fleeting things.
I love how the Lord levels the playing field for all mankind. He does not base our ability to know Him on what we have or don’t have (things or titles). We all have equal opportunity to know the Father. Our access to the Father is not based on what class we were born into or what job title we hold or how intelligent we are. Our access to Him is relational. He is the prize. He is true “success”. No matter your background, the Father welcomes you into this relationship.
Where Do You Focus?
Do you focus on things and titles or do you focus on the Father? That question deserves an honest answer. Man looks to see what he can accomplish, or what he can get. There is a better way. The child of God looks through the eyes of the Father. With man you are limited by your own capabilities. With God, all things are possible. It’s all about perspective. Will you limit your perspective to your own experience, or will you choose to view things through His eyes where anything is possible? When you focus on the Father, your perspective shifts from self-effort to trusting His plan.
May the Lord bless you with more intimacy of Himself. He is the prize. My prayer is that you will change your paradigm from the way that man views success, to seeing that intimacy with the Father is, in fact, true “success”.
Embracing God’s Measure
How do you embrace God’s measure? Start by letting go of man’s standards and spending time with the Father. Read His Word to see how He values relationship over things. When you do, you’ll find freedom from striving and true fulfillment in Him.