March 2010
Results
We live in a time when everyone expects results. Results at work. Results at school. Results at non-profit organizations. Results in government. Results at church. Results, results, results.
These results are supposed to be measurable. How much money did your business make in the first quarter? Did your profit meet your expectations? Did the children in the Eighth Grade meet test result expectations? How many people did you help through your ministry? How much money did you raise? How many votes did you receive to pass that bill? How many bills did you pass during this session of the legislature? How much is your ministry “worth” in the community—because if you can prove that you’ve saved the community “x” dollars, you’re qualified to receive grant money from our foundation. Results, results, results.
While achieving goals can be a most admirable thing, sometimes getting the results, results, results we think we should reach isn’t necessarily the only measure of success. In fact, producing measurable results can make us so focused on attaining that goal, we neglect to see all sorts of other successes along the way.
Consider this truth about achievement. Right now, we’re journeying through the season of Lent. And during this season, we remember Christ and his sacrifice for our sakes. We remember Jesus’ journey to the cross—his arrest and trial, his scourging, his suffering and death on a cross. By any worldly measure at the time, Jesus was deemed a failure. He was dirt poor. He died as a common criminal. He didn’t gain fame and fortune, nor did he claim a throne, as did his ancestor David. He didn’t attract the movers and shakers of his time to his inner circle of followers. These were not stellar results—according to commonly held success standards.
Yet, Jesus did accomplish the goals he was seeking to achieve. He did die to save us. He did rise to conquer death. He did gain heaven for us. He did show God’s love. He did share God’s love. He did teach us the way to live. He did leave behind a legacy of outstanding leaders who lived out the faith and declared the Good News and brought thousands to Christ. He did change history, forever. And we are blessed forever. Talk about success. Talk about results. No one has ever done a better job. No one has ever gained more, achieved more. Folks just couldn’t see, or didn’t want to see at the time. Unfortunately, there are those who still refuse to see these results—Jesus’ success—even today.
In these days of Lent, it is my prayer that you’ll spend time in worship, in devotion and prayer, reflecting on the amazing, mind-boggling results Christ achieved for us on the cross, and that you’ll continue to look for his noticeable, and not-so-noticeable, successes. And, when you consider all he’s done, and all he continues to do, that you’ll join me in offering daily thanks and praise to the One who’s accomplished everything for us.
Pastor Sharon