Success: Whose Standard?

“Stand in the ways and see and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.”    Jeremiah 6:16

In one of the classic Seinfeld episodes entitled The Opposite, George, after becoming frustrated with his life, discovers the “secret to success” by doing the opposite of what he has instinctually been doing for years. The humor in the episode is that George has incredible success in all areas of his life from that point forward.

I thought of George recently as I sat in a men’s study group where we discussed the value of following God’s ways in contrast to the cultural ideals thrust upon us each day.  Our culture’s definition of success is in fact so very antithetical to or the exact opposite of God’s definition of success and certainly opposite of the way Christ conducted his business.  For example, consider the principle of giving.  Our culture says grab all you can before you die. God says to give away what you have to the church and the needy and it will be given back to you in abundance.   Our culture glorifies fame as a most desirable status. God says the last shall be first and the first shall be last.  Our culture cultivates greed and jealousy when the Bible teaches that the anecdote to such a cancer is giving and loving. 

As you go through your week struggling with all you have to do and perhaps even stressing over corporate pressures in your job if you don’t remember God’s word from Jeremiah 6:16.   I hope at least remembering George Costanza’s life of doing the opposite will help you remember that living out God’s way, the opposite of this world’s way, really is THE secret to success.  Living the “good way” really is the key to peace and fulfillment; the key to that much needed  “rest for your souls.”