Near the end of his life, Jesus taught his followers a new definition of success. He used as a foil an example of what he did not mean, some people who, by any definition, were successful: wealthy, influential, important, respected, highly successful. What he said about them is often interpreted as a critique of their Jewish practices.
The scribes and Pharisees, he said, in their piety are a burden to everyone. They love the attention they receive. They wear big phylacteries, the leather straps around their forehead and arms, and long fringe on their robes—both symbols of devotion to the law of God. Jesus had no argument with the practice. He must have worn a phylactery himself. It was what was going on beneath the surface. They enjoyed their position too much. They played to it, postured. They defined success this way, by the admiration their piety generated.
The alternate reality—the truth, the saving truth, Jesus taught them that day—is the opposite to what you are seeing: “ The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Jesus was not opposed to success. In fact, Jesus called his followers to a rigorous life of hard work and selfless devotion and self-sacrifice. He called his men and women to be successful by a different definition: by giving life away, by dying a little, by serving others, humbly, faithfully, selflessly. Does that really work out there? Can you live by Jesus’ definition of success in the real world?
Dr. Willy L Mafuta,
Senior Pastor,
Hopewell United Methodist Church, Hopewell, NJ 08525