Success

When you think of "success" what or who do you imagine? 

I don't know about you, but, when I think of someone successful, I imagine people who have been able to do well in life financially, emotionally, romantically, professionally, physically...and all those "ally" ending words... except ... for "spiritually."  At least I don't.

People who have achieved a higher level in their walk with God do not pop into my mind as the illustration of "successful."  And, I know that is totally wrong on my part.  If there is a success story is that one in which a soul who was lost is now found.  But, I think, the problem is that "success" as the world defines is has to do with misplaced glory.  

"I just want Dylan to feel successful! I want him to taste victory!" I said emphatically to Dan a few days ago after another VERY/EXTREMELY frustrating and disappointing basketball game.  He has had a really rough season this year due mostly to less than stellar coaching...plus some physical limitations that are impossible to overcome, such as the fact that Dylan is shorter than most of the other players.  But he loves the game.  He has dreams of continuing to play through High School and even college...I don't know how realistic those dreams are for him, though...and it breaks my heart.

Then, that same day, I read a devotional that talked about success, which was pretty much a slap on the face to me.  the reading stated: "earthly success is much different from success in God's eyes.  He values the compassion that moves us to rescue disadvantaged and hurting people...with God's help, we can align our values with His and devote ourselves to loving Him and others, which is the most significant achievement there is."  

I realized then, that what I have been wanting for Dylan is not the type of success that I should be encouraging or desiring.  I need to be concerned with his spiritual life, and with how God defines success, instead of the things of this world.  I need to nurture Dylan's compassionate heart and his love of people...his sensibility...his sense of empathy...his heart and his soul.  The world takes care of creating in us a lust for the material and the physical.  As his mother, I need to take care of the longings of the spirit.  I need to guide him on how all the glory belongs to God, not to us...so he doesn't misplace it...as we often do.

Today, as the basketball season is coming to a close, we contemplate how it might be his last...and how we need to be OK with that.  We think about the good that basketball has brought into our lives, and we leave it in God's hands...where all our dreams belong.  He has a perfect plan for us...even if different from what we first imagined.  

May the Holy Spirit show us the way we should go, so we taste the victory in Our Lord...the only real success we need to care about.  In the Precious Name of the One Who Overcomes so we can be overcomers ourselves.  Amen!