On The Ladder!

Nice cars, spacious homes, great jobs, a cushy paycheck, etc. What MOTIVATES the success of individuals can vary greatly. MOTIVATION may be linked to a view of helping others or with the eye only toward self.

Have you ever climbed up and down a ladder with someone else? Did you get your fingers stepped on? Were you guilty of stepping on the fingers of the other individual? Was there a little bumping and shoving because the pace from rung to rung was not the same? Or did you approach the journey on the ladder in a way that made it safely possible to be done together? There are some who climb the ladder of success while helping push or pull others up along the way. However, many make the climb not caring who they step on so long as they reach the top themselves.

Solomon pointed to a negative MOTIVATION he observed “under the sun.”
“Then I SAW THAT ALL TOIL AND ALL SKILL IN WORK COME FROM A MAN’S ENVY OF HIS NEIGHBOR. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.” ( Ecclesiastes 4:4 ESV)

This MOTIVATION is what has been called “Keeping up with the Joneses.” However, many times the idea is to surpass the Joneses. Being driven by envy makes it difficult to acknowledge the success of others and rejoice with them. It also feeds a spirit of discontent with regard to what one presently possesses.

Perhaps Paul hit the key to the focus when he stated…
“(6) Now there is GREAT GAIN IN GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT, (7) for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. (8) But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” ( 1 Timothy 6:6-8 ESV)

There is nothing wrong with having the nice things often associated with success. However, the means by which we gain and use them is extremely important. Our greatest gain is connected with godliness. Let us therefore seek to use whatever we have been blessed with -- whether things or our status in life -- to the glory of God and the benefit of those around us.

Have a great day FOCUSED ON SHARING THE GREAT GAIN OF GODLINESS!
Carl

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