How do you judge success? If someone were to ask you to define success, what would your answer be? Then the real question is how does your life define success? In other words, what are you striving for or what is the mark that you have set for yourself?
1 Corinthians 4:2 (ESV) — 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
I was impressed with a pamphlet I came across from Ligonier Ministries which bore the title that I am using for this article. I was most impressed by the way they outlined their definition of success and what they were doing to carry out that mission and make sure their donors understood how important being faithful to God is above anything else.
Sometimes we acknowledge that the principle of faithfulness is success, but what we get so concerned about are tangible results that we don’t live up to what we say is important. In the parable of the talents, we notice the one who was given five talents and delivered to his master five more received the same recognition as the one who received two talents and delivered to his master two more. In both cases, the master was pleased and pointed out their faithfulness and brought them into the joy of their master.
Matthew 25:23 (ESV) — 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Why do we focus so much on results in celebrating the big and the outstanding and pass over the one who faithfully plugs along doing what God has called him to do in the place where God has placed him? For the very simple response that we have grown to look for results and equate man’s standard of success with the hand of God. Such a burden to produce is what adds needless burdens upon people in all walks of life. It’s a stress that we are not meant to bear.
In an era where it seems that more pastors are leaving the ministry than those who are entering, maybe a second look at this outstanding test for success would encourage those who are not blessed with fantastic growth numbers.
William Cary, missionary to India, is a great example of faithfulness equaling success. Some questioned Cary because it took six years before he saw one convert in his efforts to spread the gospel. Just one convert in six years. Think of how he would be labeled today. Evidently, God thought his faithfulness and being driven by the words “expect great things from God, while attempting great things for God” suited him and the mission well as Cary was known for spending 41 years on the field before he took a furlough. Was Wiliam Cary successful? According to standards today, many would say he was not, but evidently God thought differently, equating faithfulness with success.
Luke 16:10–12 (ESV) — 10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
Some would say ‘faithfulness is success’ is merely a place to hide when things are not going well according to worldly standards, but think of how we are promised that our labors will be tested to see if it’s the real thing or not. In other words, our success will be tested to see if it’s faithfulness or some other standard which is not from God.
1 Corinthians 3:13–14 (ESV) — 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
If faithfulness is success in our minds, then we will be free to trust God for results because our trust in Him is what drives our faithfulness. Hence, we are set free from the bondage of results since God is looking for faithfulness on our part to do whatever God has called us to do.
1 Corinthians 3:5–7 (ESV) — 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
Think this through. If God is the one who produces results and we are set free from the burden of trying to produce results, then it would make sense that He gets the glory for any result.
1 Corinthians 1:30–31 (ESV) — 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
To live by faithfulness is success is difficult in the fact that we like to be in control and try our best to be responsible for the results. It is also a fact that we all like to assume some credit for results. But to know that God is in control and you are not, sets you free from worry and allows you to focus on the work at hand, doing your very best and leaving the results to God. By the way, God can be trusted because He is the epidemy of faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:21–23 (ESV) 21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 (ESV) 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
2 Timothy 2:13 (ESV) 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
Trust Him with results. He’s the One in control. God is looking for you to be faithful to whatever He has called you to do. Faithfulness is success.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
