Day 278, October 5 Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Mark 3:1-19; Matthew 12:9-21; Luke 6:6-16; Matthew 4:23-25
How To Handle Success
A football player makes a Touch Down and does his End Zone Dance (usually practiced for the occasion). A businessman, politician, or leader of an organization hosts a special dinner to highlight his accomplishments. What do these things have in common? Boasting! In our American society, we are told to claim success whenever and wherever we can. We should let people know about our accomplishments. Is this the way to handle success? How Jesus dealt with his success will help us understand how to deal with ours.
Expect Criticism
Those who accomplish great things pay the price—they experience a lot of criticism. In today’s Bible reading, Jesus is criticized for healing a man’s hand on a Sabbath day. The seventh day of the week is a Sabbath, a day of rest, and work is forbidden according to Moses’s fourth commandment (of the ten).
Because Jesus heals on this devoted day, the Pharisees condemn him. These religious leaders compete with the Sadducees and Herodians for high office. Now they have a young popular upstart to contend with—and he can do miracles! Like presidential candidates, they are digging up dirt on Jesus to discredit him. If we are successful, we can expect mud from the competition. How will we respond to injustice and false accusations? Jesus is angry, but he does not stop doing good because he is criticized. We should follow his example.
Protect your followers (if possible)
Those who are popular but threatened need to think about their followers. Will they be safe or harassed? Sometimes, it is necessary to take a stand. Still, at other times, it is wise to avoid unnecessary confrontations and walk away. The latter is what Jesus does at this time. His success follows him as our success often follows us. Do we care about those whom we lead? What will we do to protect them?
When you’re tired
Success often brings a busy schedule. Jesus heals people all day long. It is exhausting to have people pressing him on every side and continuously seeking his attention. Some of us can relate to that.
What does Jesus do? First, he creates some space between him and the crowds. Second, the Lord prays and then appoints helpers, twelve apostles from the disciples who follow him. He will divide up the work and send them out to help him with his ministry. These twelve have always been with Jesus.
It is hard to imagine that Jesus chose a treacherous person (Judas Iscariot) to be among them, but it was God’s will. Many of us have chosen people, who seemed loyal by all appearances, but we later found them treacherous. There are always risks when we ask people to work with us.
These twelve disciples (apostles) are the ones Jesus sends out to heal and cast out demons; that is, he empowers and shares some of the workloads with them. Because the Lord does this, he can multiply his ministry. We can do the same thing if we entrust some responsibilities to those who share our values.
Make Use of the Opportunities to do God’s Will
Finally, Jesus uses the opportunity of his popularity to teach the masses of people so they might lead successful lives. Are we concerned about our own achievements or the achievements of others? Do we enable others to lead successful lives and ministries?
Does Jesus use his popularity to trumpet his success? Not at all. Jesus tells demons whom he casts out and people whom he heals not to tell everyone. This is amazing but true. He does not want people to make him a king (that will come later toward the end of the age). Matthew quotes a Greek translation of (Isaiah 42:1-4) to show how Christ fulfills the Hebrew Scriptures.
Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope, (Matthew 12:18-21, NIV).Jesus does not make a habit of quarreling with people. Jesus quietly does his work. Amazing! The Son of God, the creator and sustainer of the universe, doesn’t boast. He doesn’t step on people to climb the ladder of success. Instead, the Lord is gentle among them as a shepherd with his sheep or a mother with hurting children.
In the Victorian era, Thomas Carlyle, a famous Scottish satirical writer, once said, “A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men.” Like Jesus, we should also seek to be kind and considerate with people.
Discussion
Is the way Americans are taught to handle success the same as Jesus’ way? What is different? Why?
What can we learn from Jesus in how to handle success?
Focus Verse
Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
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Looking Ahead: In our Next Lesson, Jesus teaches us True Righteousness and Grace Living. Join us!
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