I’ve written before about how the last few years of my life seem to be flying by a top speed. The more I try to cram into my life the faster it goes. That used to be a good survival strategy. If I kept busy it made the hard times pass more quickly. But now I find myself running to catch the metaphorical train on a daily basis.
I feel as though time is running out to make my mark on the world. As if I need to accelerate the process of discovering what I was made to do so I don’t run out of track.
I live in a culture that values speed, production, and results over process, deliberation, and longevity. Being first is better than being right. Being louder is more effective than being truthful.
What does success look like through Kingdom glasses? We see it easily in the life of Jesus. He had only a short time to complete his mission, but he wasn’t rushed. He was busy but never hurried.
He took the time to know and love people, even when it wasn’t convenient. He regularly stepped away from the daily routine to reconnect with the Father. He was popular with some, disliked and even hated by others. He never gave his reputation a second thought. He didn’t need a PR or a social media manager.
Jesus’ reactions to the people he encountered was nuanced. Probably because he didn’t rush. He didn’t come up with a pat answer he could give so he could avoid having to focus on each person as an individual.
If you think about it, Jesus was from a little town of no consequence, born into an occupied people, from a people group and social status with little wealth, or influence.
Then he became a traveling teacher with a devoted following of few, while most ignored or despised him. He died a criminal’s death. His life and death were very ordinary and would not be considered a success by modern eyes.
But, his resurrection has inspired unprecedented levels of devotional and debate for thousands of years since. Try as they might, govenments, media and philosophers cannot stamp out his legacy. The power of his simple, seemingly ordinary life has traversed the ages, and his words have outlived those of much of his cultural contemporaries.
Kingdom success will turn the worldly definition on its head. I cannot look at my life in quantitative terms of accomplishment. Because chances are I won’t measure up.
I have a nice house, a husband and three children. My husband struggles with chronic depression, two of my three children carry the weight of diagnoses, in the last year we’ve had more than we could have imagined, gotten by on less than we ever thought we could, and are still trying to find a new equilibrium.
I am nearly 40, the unofficial beginning of midlife, and I don’t have much to show for those years.
But I cannot know the end of the story. I can’t see the impact I make daily on my children, as both their mother and their educator. My interactions I have with others through my writing, my ministry work, or even my weekly trips to the grocery store may never be known. That doesn’t mean they don’t matter.
My only purpose on this earth is ultimately to point to an existence beyond this earth. While I may selfishly want to leave something of myself behind, if I am remembered is of no consequence, only did my life point back to Jesus. I’m still working that out daily, often with fear and trembling.
Yes, yes, yes! All the yeses! I wrote about a similar concept on my FMF post (I’m your neighbor this week). What the world (and our culture) defines as “success” is so different than what Jesus both defined AND demonstrated as success. I’m sure you’ve heard it said that if Jesus were in “ministry” today, He would be considered a complete failure based off of the Western church’s idea of “success”.
Calm, slow, steady, genuine, sincere, patient…all characteristics of Christ that are contrary to our culture. Great piece this morning and encouraging for me to hear someone else grappling with these same cultural paradoxes!
It’s true that at times the Western church loses perspective. I remember hearing someone say that at some point we stopped building cathedrals (long term) and settled for pup tents (short term). Thank you so much for stopping by!
So glad to meet you, Bethany. It seems as if we have walked the same path – except my husband’s initial diagnoses of severe depression changed into bipolar disorder. I feel I could have written the same things – life flying by, and what do I have to show for it? But I loved your sentence: Kingdom success will turn the worldly definition on its head. Perhaps, in the eyes of the Kingdom, we will be ultra-successful!
God bless you on your journey Home.
Thank you for stopping by and I’m glad you found something to relate to in my words. It’s true, we have no idea what we will accomplish in this life that will really matter through the eyes of eternity.
Traveling mercies to you.
Your post is so thought provoking. I do agree that the main thing I want to be remembered for is pointing others to Jesus. Thanks for sharing.
Kingdom focus—only. Great reminder. Blessings as you journey.
This is so good. Thank you for sharing, Bethany. What a privilege to read your thoughts today. And hello, from another not-quite-forty mama with children who struggle against diagnoses. Blessings and love.
Only Because of Him,
Sarah
Beautifully written! Blessings to you!