Topic: The Standard of Measurement [Wednesday, 12th July 2017]
And he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15
A Pastor once told a story of when he got his first car. Someone said to him then “congratulations, now you are a man of God.” This may seem funny, but when we critically look at it, it exposes the fault in our thinking. This fault is a very fundamental fault that has somehow eaten deep into the lifestyle of the Church today. It is now popular belief, and widely accepted that if a pastor doesn’t have a car or other material possessions, he is not yet successful in ministry. And if he has a car, but it is not a flashy or expensive car, then he is still an “upcoming” man of God. This doesn’t just apply to pastors, it also applies to Christians in general.
Christ tells us expressly in Luke 11:15, that a man’s life is not made up of the abundance of the things he possesses. This was before He went on to tell us not to worry for the things we are to eat or wear, as our Heavenly Father knows our needs and has us at heart (Luke 12:22-28). He also tells us that the possession we should be concerned about are those laid up in heaven, where thieves and moths can’t reach them. (Luke 12:33).
Now, this is not in any way to water down on the prosperity that we are to enjoy in Christ, as Christ clearly became poor so that we could become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). We are to prosper on earth, and have all the good things available until us. For He has promised that the earth will yield her increase unto us, and we will eat to our satisfaction (Psalms 67:7; Proverbs 13:25). Yes we are to be prosperous, and every believer is to access this promise of prosperity. Problem however arises when we make physical wealth the yardstick for measuring our success. Remember the Rich Fool? Yes, “so is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21).
Our only yardstick for measuring our successes as believer, should not be how much wealth we are able to amass, or how many persons we can buy lunch for, but in how far we are fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives. This should be the measurement of success and prosperity.
Keep winning daily.
Wise Action:
When reflecting on how far you’ve gone in life, don’t evaluate yourself by worldly and self standards. Consciously seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit to teach you how much of God’s purpose for your life you’ve accomplished, by His help.
By Esun Tekeme
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