I want success!! (Part 2)#

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Steadfastness

Like flowers, the nature of earthly success can be quite flashy for a brief moment, but will wither and dry up in due course. It is like a mist that appears for just a bit before vanishing without a trace.

However, true success according to Matt 7:24-27 is not temporary.

Inevitably, we will go through difficult times (v25, 27) in life. Perhaps we might get caught in a financial tsunami like the one felt around the world at the end of 2008, or we might experience serious illness, or quite possibly we might end up in a serious car accident. Those who are truly successful, who actually obey Jesus’ words, can withstand these calamities and thrive, just as the house of the wise man stands strong on the rock. The works of their hands will have long lasting impact upon others and bring glory to God. This achievement transcends space and time. That being the case, we cannot deem ourselves to be successful by looking at merely our current situations; we need to take on a long-term view of success.

To take an ultimate view, the storm described in v25 and 27 encompasses God’s final judgment when everyone will have to face Him.

Temporal Needs Satisfied

The criteria for success mentioned above are focused on spiritual and eternal aspects. But what about the temporal aspect – isn’t that important at all? After all, while we do not live on bread alone, we still need to have our basic needs met.

In answer to this question, Jesus makes this promise in Matt 6:33:

³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

We need to prioritize what is most important in our lives and then God will take care of “all these things.” In the context of the verse, “all these things” includes physical needs such as food and clothing, as well as mental aspects, encompassing the needs of our whole being.

Success – BEST

In my view, Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount paints a comprehensive picture of what success is all about for Christians who accept Christ by faith.

Taking all the initial letters of the above four criteria of success, we can spell the acronym “BEST.” This, in a nutshell, is Jesus’ criteria of success for each of us – it’s the very best!

I don’t have to be a billionaire, a top athlete, a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, or a Nobel Prize recipient to be considered successful in God’s eyes. On the other hand, I might miss the “BEST” God intends for me even if I become successful in the eyes of the world!

# In addition to his teaching and evangelistic ministries at church, Dr. P.K. Au has been a marketplace disciple at different workplaces over the past three decades . Currently he is Sessional Instructor at Ambrose Seminary and Volunteer Lecturer at Chrestos College. He is also "tent-making" in The Chinese Academy (Calgary) as Head of External Affairs & Organizational Effectiveness.

I want success!! (by Dr P K Au) #

Frankly, at the bottom of our heart, no one likes failures; we all want success.

Thanks to the Internet, I have re-connected with more and more of my classmates from high school. I have found that quite a few of them are retired or close to retirement, spending lots of time traveling and enjoying life. Others are high flying politicians, university professors and businessmen. A couple of them are multi-multi-millionaires, and even rank among the top wealthiest people in Hong Kong. At times their successes leave a sour taste in my mouth.

As a Christian, a fundamental question I need to ask myself is: What does success mean in the Bible? Does this mean primarily prosperity in this life as claimed by the highly popular Prosperity Theology advocates such as Joel Osteen?

After much reflection upon the Bible and my own experiences, I would like to share with you my view of criteria of success based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

Blessed

The first criterion for success can be found in Matt 5:3-10, commonly known as the Beatitudes. Here Jesus describes the ideal qualities of His disciples – in other words, successful disciples – and promises blessings upon them. Some people may translate the word “blessed,” to mean “happy,” but true blessedness is so much more – it encompasses happiness, but it cannot simply be reduced to happiness.

I like what D.A. Carson says: “To be ‘blessed’ means, fundamentally, to be approved, to find approval…Since this is God’s universe there can be no higher ‘blessing’ than to be approved by God…If God’s blessing means more to us than the approval of loved ones no matter how cherished, or of colleagues no matter how influential, then the beatitudes will speak to us very personally and deeply.”

Effectiveness

As depicted in Matt 5:13-16, success also means being effective as the salt of the earth and light of the world. That is, it means being a blessing to others.

As the salt of the earth, we have the effect of delaying moral and spiritual putrefaction of the society we live in. As the light of the world, we are to allow the light of Christ within us to shine out from us, so that people may see it.

(to be continued)

# In addition to his teaching and evangelistic ministries at church, Dr. P.K. Au has been a marketplace disciple at different workplaces over the past three decades . Currently he is Sessional Instructor at Ambrose Seminary and Volunteer Lecturer at Chrestos College. He is also "tent-making" in The Chinese Academy (Calgary) as Head of External Affairs & Organizational Effectiveness.

事業策略: 變革管理, 走出困境

工作坊內容：
*「做好呢份工」的挑戰 : 挫抑、壓力、疲乏、困惑…冇水點算!?
*環境變化之機會與威脅 : 了解因素、 市場、網絡、新趨勢
*反思、檢討、 得息得力 : 養傷、學習、戰勝、塑造、更新、…從老鷹學習
*範式轉換 (paradigm shift) : 什麽是個人事業? 怎樣評估成功? 新的遠像, 新的開始
*變革管理策略(內) : 投資在生命資產、「一人公司」, 強化恩賜, 培育品格
*變革管理策略(外) : 市場定位, 塑造品牌, 建立網絡, 與持份者互動
*運用Force-field 模式 : 怎樣面對抗行的力量, 向着目標直跑
*運用POST 模式 : 選擇 、 集中 、紀律、平衡、信心, 事半功倍
*進取 Vs 反應; rifle Vs shot gun; 拼搏 Vs 貢獻; 孤單 Vs 團隊; 打工仔 Vs 自由人
*轉危為機, 回復信心, 走出困境,……再寫生命故事, 活豐盛的生命
工作坊除了講解理論 , 也引導怎樣實踐。重視原則和長線價值、整全管理, 不只談技巧。
講授語言／方法 : 粵語。深入淺出。用多種圖畫解釋。在系统思維、討論真實情況及個案中學習。
講者： 林錦華博士 (Dr. Charles Lam ) For enquiry : charles155@gmail.com