Do you consider yourself a failure or a success? How do your friends, family, or others judge you? I guess it all depends on the criteria you and they are using to judge you. The question of success or failure is one of the main reasons why I love and choose to serve my LORD Jesus and one of the main reasons why I love the game of baseball.
If you were expert marksman in the military or in sports and you only hit 2 or 3 out of every 10 targets you were assigned to hit, you would probably be considered a failure. If you were in basketball and you only made 2 or 3 out of every 10 free throws, you would not be considered one of the greatest players. If you only made 2 or 3 out of every 10 putts in golf, you would not be playing as a professional. In football a quarterback who completes 3 out of every 10 passes or a receiver who catches 3 out of every 10 passes, you would not be on the field or even on the team. In baseball however, you can be a hitter who hits the ball almost 3 out of every 10 at bats and you would be considered a great hitter, and you could probably demand a huge salary because you would be successful. You could miss the ball or get out 7 out of 10 times and still be considered a great hitter. If you hit almost 4 out of every 10 times you would be a Hall of Fame candidate and one the best hitters to ever play the game. Wow, miss 6 out of 10 and still a Hall of Fame player!
In your life, do your friends stick by you if you fail to live up to their expectations? Would you be a success or a failure if you didn't make a six-figure income? Would you be a success or a failure if you were trying your best to quit drugs or alcohol? Would you be a success or a failure if you didn't go to church services every single Sunday? This is why I love my God and LORD Jesus. I don't have to be perfect in order for Him to consider me a success story. My life could be full of mistakes and sins that the world would consider unforgivable, but my God loves me anyway. God looks at my heart and not my sinful nature. As long as I desire to do what is right and serve God and love others, God will listen to my repentant cries for mercy. I could miss the ball every time I come to plate, miss every pass, miss every putt, miss every shot, miss church services, lose my job or "fall off the wagon" and God will still consider me a success in His eyes because I am choosing to honor Him first in my life.
It is not always easy to be a servant of God. The Bible tells us we must spend time in God's word daily, to pray daily, to "daily" put on the armor of God and prepare to do battle with the evil one. Just like in professional sports practice daily in order to be successful, Christians must practice daily in order to become more like God. Lucky for us, our worth is not based upon a proven track record of success. It is based upon our simple desire to accept Jesus and to serve our God.
So who determines if you a success or a failure? Is it the world, you, or a loving God who wants to make you His child and make you a member of His "Heavenly Hall of Fame"?
If you were expert marksman in the military or in sports and you only hit 2 or 3 out of every 10 targets you were assigned to hit, you would probably be considered a failure. If you were in basketball and you only made 2 or 3 out of every 10 free throws, you would not be considered one of the greatest players. If you only made 2 or 3 out of every 10 putts in golf, you would not be playing as a professional. In football a quarterback who completes 3 out of every 10 passes or a receiver who catches 3 out of every 10 passes, you would not be on the field or even on the team. In baseball however, you can be a hitter who hits the ball almost 3 out of every 10 at bats and you would be considered a great hitter, and you could probably demand a huge salary because you would be successful. You could miss the ball or get out 7 out of 10 times and still be considered a great hitter. If you hit almost 4 out of every 10 times you would be a Hall of Fame candidate and one the best hitters to ever play the game. Wow, miss 6 out of 10 and still a Hall of Fame player!
In your life, do your friends stick by you if you fail to live up to their expectations? Would you be a success or a failure if you didn't make a six-figure income? Would you be a success or a failure if you were trying your best to quit drugs or alcohol? Would you be a success or a failure if you didn't go to church services every single Sunday? This is why I love my God and LORD Jesus. I don't have to be perfect in order for Him to consider me a success story. My life could be full of mistakes and sins that the world would consider unforgivable, but my God loves me anyway. God looks at my heart and not my sinful nature. As long as I desire to do what is right and serve God and love others, God will listen to my repentant cries for mercy. I could miss the ball every time I come to plate, miss every pass, miss every putt, miss every shot, miss church services, lose my job or "fall off the wagon" and God will still consider me a success in His eyes because I am choosing to honor Him first in my life.
It is not always easy to be a servant of God. The Bible tells us we must spend time in God's word daily, to pray daily, to "daily" put on the armor of God and prepare to do battle with the evil one. Just like in professional sports practice daily in order to be successful, Christians must practice daily in order to become more like God. Lucky for us, our worth is not based upon a proven track record of success. It is based upon our simple desire to accept Jesus and to serve our God.
So who determines if you a success or a failure? Is it the world, you, or a loving God who wants to make you His child and make you a member of His "Heavenly Hall of Fame"?
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