What's He Going to Call You?

I hear it so often, I don’t know why I’m still surprised when people ascribe their life-successes to their intellect and talents – even to ‘good luck.’ Yet they hardly – if ever – give God more than a cursory nod for their achievements.  

Really? Are they serious? 

Who else but God, who lovingly orchestrates events and people and circumstances – who else but God drops thoughts into our minds to go here or there, to do this or that, so as to place us at the right time and place that ultimately leads to those achievements?  And He does all that even while He knows so many of us will remain thankless.

Such sad hubris is not a new thing. Here’s what Moses wrote some 3500 years ago:

Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God . . . otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply . . . then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God . . . [and] you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.' But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth . . . (Deuteronomy 8:11-18).

There is, of course, a more honorable way to live. It’s called humility. It’s called gratitude – gratitude to the One without whose grace we could not even take our next breath. 

On July 4^th, Americans take time to remember when our forefathers declared their independence from tyranny. But July 4^th is also a good day to declare our independence from another tyranny – the tyranny of the deceptive illusion of self-importance. And it’s a time to declare our utter dependence on our Creator for our life, liberty, and our freedom to pursue happiness. 

Two millennia ago, the Lord Jesus reminded everyone who had ears to hear of the essential element of real success – success that transcends centuries and cultures and creeds:

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1-5)

In 21^st century vernacular, God tells those who choose to live independent from His influence and direction, “You’re a failure.” But He tells those who choose to live dependent on Him, “You are a success.”

What’s God going to call you?