Three Levels of Living
Theme of the Week: How Do You Spell Success?
James E. White
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: David … served God's purpose in his own generation (Acts 13:36, NIV). Bonus Reading: Romans 15:20 2 Corinthians 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 4:11
The first level is survival. Some are destitute and must spend every waking moment trying to make it through another day. Others have full stomachs, but simply work to make it to another weekend and extract what pleasures they can from a quickly passing life.
The second level is success. Some live to get a big salary, a big car, and a big house. The problem is that when you get there, success doesn't really deliver the way you thought it would. In Arthur Miller's classic play The Death of a Salesman, Willie Loman commits suicide after spending his entire life trying to be successful.
Fortunately, there's a third level: significance. A biblical example is David, a military and political leader who united the nation of Israel. But the most significant thing the Bible says about David (Acts 13:36) was that he found and followed God's purpose for his life. The essence of a significant life is catching a vision for what God wants to do through you. Those who make the biggest difference are the ones with the clearest sense of God's purpose for their lives.
—James E. White in You Can Experience … a Purposeful Life
My Response: The way I understand God's purpose for me right now is …
Thought to Apply: We're prone to judge success by our salaries or automobiles rather than the quality of our service and relationship to humanity.—MARTIN LUTHER KING
Adapted from You Can Experience … a Purposeful Life ((Word, 2000) by permission.
Copyright © 2005 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity. 1 of 1
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I realize, Lord, that my generation's take on success is terribly superficial. Shift my sights to the deeper goals found in Your Word.
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