God's assessment of Success

Acts 20: 33-36

What benchmarks are you using to measure a successful life, and is it in keeping with God’s assessment of success?  “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV)  Many a person tells you they have a life verse, if I did, it would be Micah 6:8, because since I became aware that I could have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ by placing faith in His action of buying me out of sin by His death on the cross, this verse in Micah always comes back as my marching orders.

As I read the verses in Acts chapter 20, it became clear that the apostle Paul was sharing that his life was an example of Micah 6:8, after his encounter with Christ.  He begins sharing with the elders who have lived with and around him for sometime the following; “I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

(Acts 20:33-35 ESV)

The apostle Paul, a man with flesh did not listen to what flesh tells each one of us, you deserve or you earned the right to demand, but instead we are told that Paul reminded them that he was not in it for money, or for their stuff, but that he worked hard to take care of his necessities.  Work has become something of a bad word in our culture and most children and even teenagers living in the USA have no understanding of work.  That explains much of the bad press that comes when they reach adulthood and someone suggest they get a job.  In God’s culture, and please remember He is our designer, He created man to work and to find fulfillment in doing so.

Paul also understood that helping those who had needs was in keeping with Micah 6:8, and to remember that it is not optional when it comes to widows and orphans.  Once more that thought is not in keeping with our culture, you only need to look at the people who run for office in this country and see how little they give and to what causes they give to.  These same ones are often the one telling us we need to give more to government so they can make people depend on government handouts.  These are evil people, they do not have any understanding of Micah 6:8, and it is a shame to say that many who go by the name of Christian have the same mindset.

When will Christians start living life as if Jesus tells the truth?  It’s late, it’s dark, and this world is passing away, and we are called to be light in the darkness.  Is it not time to remember that Jesus calls you friend and He has also promised you that He would live in you and you in Him?  “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

(2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV)  What benchmarks are you using to rate success?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice