How do you rate yourself with outward success? Your balance sheet, the value of your assets, your position, your influence, your status, your place in society, or even your family. Give yourself a number from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most outwardly successful you can be.
Now, how do you rate yourself with inward success? Your inner peace, lack of anxiety, good health, vitality, alignment with God. How about your compassion, commitment to doing what is right, and empathy and care for others? What’s your number here, from 1 to 10?
Oh, the fallacy of outward success and the beauty of inward success.
Outward success is loud and sheepishly self-affirming, worldly, fleeting, and can easily be lost. While it is not inherently bad, outward success is often of little value when it comes alone. Inward success is much harder to lose and is intertwined with deep and eternal overtones. Inward success requires wisdom and glorifies God.
As leaders, may we consider outward success as optional and inward success as critical. May we measure the success of each day first by how we score inwardly.
Let’s pray. Lord, lead me toward inward success, and if You give me outward success, may I never worship it, but instead may I always focus on You and seek You to shape me inwardly.
