Success vs. Significance

She was a cute and happy kindergartener in the very first PE class I taught in 1987. I knew she would grow up to be quite a young lady. Seventeen years later, Kristen is a senior playing basketball for a Christian college in Indiana. Coming off an outstanding high school career, Kristen has had a hard time finding success at the next level in most people's eyes. You will not find a harder worker or a more disciplined ball player than this young lady, but for some reason her number is not called too many times. Many players in her situation would have quit by now, but not Kristen.

So the question rises, has she been successful in her college career? How many times do we see rising stars come out of the high school game and not make it big time at the next level? Quite often, but does that mean they have not been successful? Not in the slightest. Though players are not in the game, they are still on the team. Being a part of the team helps to make the difference for many players. How does this translate into our spiritual walk? Many believers feel that if they are not doing great things for God, they are not being successful spiritually. You do not have to be a nationally known speaker or writer, or pastor of a mega-church, or sing like Michael W. Smith to be successful in your spiritual journey. He calls us only to be faithful in living for and serving Him. He will make our serving significant, and we should always view that as success.

Kristen will finish her college career very soon. What does she have to show for it? A degree with honors, four years of college basketball with many team honors, one National Championship with another possibly on the way, a great Christian man whom she will marry this summer, but most importantly, she has been faithful to her Master Coach throughout the whole journey. Has she been successful? I will let you judge for yourself. But I do know that her life has great significance because of who she is in Jesus Christ. I would say she has gone way beyond "big time" in her college career and has moved onto something greater — significance. Remember, the whole world looks for success, but your Savior seeks significance for and in you. What are you looking for through Him?