There are several reasons Christians are afraid to succeed.
Some have an incorrect concept of God: Last year while I was speaking at a seminary, a young man walked up and said, "God's got me right where he wants me."
I asked, "where's that?" "Broke."
"I have a son," I said, "and it would disturb me if my son were to say to some friend, "My Dad's got me right where he wants me — broke." He and I would have to have a talk about his wrong concept of my feelings and desires for me."
A second problem is an incorrect concept of how God works: Sometimes we hear, "Ask, and God will work a miracle." Normally, that isn't the way he works. God is the one who brought cause and effect into being, so usually right results come from right actions.
You deserve to expect pay when you work, because a "laborer is worthy of his pay." In the same way, you can expect results when you diligently and intelligently use the talent He's given you.
Twenty-five years ago at a laymen's meeting in Palm Springs, a businessman asked if he could talk to me about a problem in his business. We met at 6 the next morning and from the figures, I saw quickly that I was either missing his problem or looking at a most successful business. So I asked, "Am I getting the right picture? Is this as successful as it looks? "He said, "It is." I stopped talking for a minute to try to intuit what he might see as a problem, because it certainly didn't show in the figures. On a hunch, I asked, "What's your religious background?" "The Plain People," he said, naming an Amish group.
"You're having trouble with success, aren't you" I asked. "You're feeling guilty."
He nodded. We closed the books and talked no more about the business but about his concept of God, and how the loving heavenly Father would be happy for him to succeed — in the right way, with the right motive while sharing his success.
A third obstacle, particularly for those whose gifts bring them before people, is a hesitancy to accept plaudits for their abilities: Before speaking at a meeting of one of the very strict denominations, I was preceded by a young woman who sang beautifully. Afterwards I said, "You have a lovely voice." She hung her head and said, "Don't give me the glory. Give the glory to the Lord." I said, "My dear, I didn't make a theological statement. I simply gave you a compliment from somebody who tried to sing and was not able to, and yet who recognizes that you can. Since I believe you have nothing except what you've received, any comments I make after that are within the scope of giving God the glory."
I remembered a much healthier response from a charming woman I'd met years ago. After having dinner with her and her husband, I said to her, "I believe you are one of the most gracious people I have ever met." She smiled and said, "Thank you for noticing, Fred. I've dedicated it to Christ." She didn't deny her graciousness; she confirmed it. Oswald Chambers said that worship is when you give you best to God. This was her best, and so she gave it to God as worship. I paraphrase my friend Fenelon when he says that we are to "accept a compliment from a worthy person as the comfort of God."
The issue, at its heart, is accepting a worm theology. Scripture makes many statements about our human condition, both complimentary and critical. The problem is that we are quick to accept the negative. We have a harder time accepting that "God made man only a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with honor and glory." Those who are most comfortable losing readily picture themselves not as children of a great God, but as worms. He doesn't see us as worms; He made us from the dust but didn't intend for us to live there.
As Christian leaders we have the good news that breaks this psychological barrier and gives our people the freedom to enjoy success achieved with integrity.
. © 1988 Fred Smith
