Seeking Success ? Me Too .

Common Sense Commentary:

Noah Webster defines the word, "success" as , "Favorable termination of a venture." That "venture" would mean something different in the lives of different people. I think, the only truly "Favorable termination of a venture" is one which brings peace of mind and peace with God into a life. There is but one "Prince of Peace" in this world, says the prophet Isaiah, and that is Jesus Christ. Isa.9:6. Jesus had absolute peace and promised His peace to His disciples. "My peace I give unto you".John 14:27.

There is a natural drive in most people to excel and succeed in some area of interest. Success, in the world's understanding, usually means success in finances, a profession, politics, athletics, the arts or a hundred other vocations or ventures. King Solomon succeeded in every possible endeavour imaginable but said, later, it was all "vanity", which means "empty and useless". His young life reveals a special interest in women. He had accumulated a large harem house of wives. So,it is obvious that he had more experience with women than anyone else in history, probably.Women know better, but many men would say Solomon had wonderful success with women because he had so many beautiful wives. I think the opposite is true. If he had been happy and content with the first one, he wouldn't have kept looking for another, another and another until he had no more room in his harem. Having many competing wives, however, did teach him a bit of wisdom about women .... MORE THAN ONE WIFE IS A PEACE PROBLEM ! He, of all people, knew what it meant to have no peace in his home. Naturally, it was he who wrote and repeated this bit of wisdom in Proverbs .... "It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house." Pr.21:9 & 25:24. I don't know whether he meant crouching in an open air, corner on a flat roofed, wide harem or in some dark corner of its attic. Solomon certainly had an extensive, adventurous, female "venture" but not a successful marriage. In Ecc. he said, that his lust too, was vanity (empty & useless) to his deep spiritual needs. In King Solomon's heart, only God gave him peace of mind and filled his soul's spiritual hunger for forgiveness, cleansing and peace.

We are all hoping and working for a "favorable termination" of whatever venture we may be involved in whether it be marriage, business, losing weitht or sleeping. The fact is, however, that practically none of humanity's ventures and occupations have a favorable termination in eternal terms. What will it matter a hundred years or a thousand years from now ? What will it matter in the lives of our children and our mate ? What will it matter to our own eternity ? Almost every thing people do which they think will end in "happiness ever after" does not. Most often, it terminates with disappoint, emptiness or a feeling of a wasted life, even if they have reached their long sought after goals in life. Not so, for those who have wisely sought God's will for their lives. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these (other) things shall be added unto you." Matt.6:33. Jesus said it and has proven it in many Christian lives who believed it and obeyed it.

There are many things I do not know, and other things I think I know, but this I am certain of. There is no real attainment, accomplishment or victory except it be for God. Unless it finds the favor of God, there is no "favorable termination" of any venture, in life or eternity. All so called "success", other than succeeding with God, is failure, no matter how impressive to this world. And if, as some believe, there were no God, then what does it matter whether we yield to all of our fleshly lusts or live and die to help the poor and needy of the world .... if physical death is an eternal , dark, nothingness END .... in a box of worms, and all is eternally forgotten ? What does it matter... If we are just evolved animals ? Then, we are either carnivorus animals or their prey in the food chain. If that were the case, I would rather be the carnivar than the deer, the evil (but there would be no evil) survivor, ruler, than the good serf ....but what is good or evil, if there is no God ? One opinion would be as good as another. There is neither evil nor good in the animal world. It's every animal for itself and that jungle is full of other hungry animals bigger and more vicious, and everyone's life is in danger night and day if there were no God. But He is, and was, and is to come, eternal past, present, future, first and last for ever. We are not animals but "created in His image and likeness" as He said in His Word, the Holy Bible. Believe it.

Pass it on. RB