Don’t Miss Your LifeSample

The Secret to Significance

Jesus once asked an interesting question: “What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?” (Mark 8:36 MSG).

Have you ever thought about that?

Have you ever gotten something you really wanted? Do you remember how long you were satisfied until you wanted something else?

I always thought success was significant. That’s the message we get from culture, at least. If you have the right degree, get the right job, hold the right position, make the right amount of money—you’re good. If you gain fame, popularity, power, prestige—you’re good. So…are you good? Is that how you feel? Satisfied? Fulfilled? Overflowing with life?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to just get by. I don’t want to just make it through, keep my fingers crossed, grit my teeth, work super hard to hopefully someday, somehow, with some luck, limp across the finish line of life. That’s not actually life. At least, not the life Jesus describes in John 10:10.

I’ve decided, that’s my goal—life to the full—it’s the Jesus life. It’s called “abundant” in John 10:10 (ESV). It’s called “rich and satisfying” in John 10:10 (NLT). The Jesus life is called “real and eternal” life in John 10:10 (MSG). The problem is, so many of us miss the mark because we aim at the wrong target. Because we spend the bulk of our time, talents, and treasure pursuing the wrong objective.

It’s not that success is bad. Success isn’t wrong. But when success becomes our focus, we always miss the target.

Maybe you feel just a little like me. For so many years, in the back of my mind, I would think, What’s the point?

Here’s the secret the world never told me: significance is success.