How Do You Measure Success?

How do you measure success? This is a question I felt the Lord continuously press on me last year. I felt like I could not get away from the question. Has that ever happened to you? I knew the Lord wanted me to grab hold of the answer, but I also knew the answer was probably going to be a journey. God is patient, and I felt like He would allow me to wrestle with this question until I found the answer.

When I first began writing, the advice I constantly received was build your platform. It was almost as if the writing or understanding the process of the writing or my message was not near as important as building the platform. From a business perspective, I understood why the advice was being given. If I ever want to publish a book, most traditional publishing companies will only look at writers with large social media followings. If you have a small following, people don’t know who you are. Therefore, if the publishing company publishes your book, it makes it difficult to sell your books because you are an unknown writer. 

I completely understand this from a publishing stance. However, the message of building your platform can be discouraging. What is a platform anyway? Practically speaking, a platform is a raised stage so that you are seen above others. In today’s culture, people on platforms are to be admired, looked up to, sought after and often idolized. And herein lies the problem. Are people supposed to be idolized? And the other bothersome point is, do you have to lower some people for others to be raised?

When we look at celebrities and athletes and musicians, are these the people that are going to lead us to truth? We really don’t know what goes on in their lives. We see what they want us to see or what the media wants us to see. We don’t see their aches and pains and how they operate in relationships. Not to mention, that most of them do not proclaim Jesus as their Lord and Savior, so listening to their opinions on most topics can be problematic to say the least. 

But what about in the church? What happens when we begin to put pastors and leaders and worship leaders on pedestals? What happens when those leaders become accustomed to being admired and adored? Do they begin to compromise their beliefs and water down the truth so people will not stop listening to them? Speaking the truth is not always easy. It can mean the person you are speaking the truth to will reject you. Then you have a decision to make. Is speaking the truth more important than being accepted by people? Is not speaking the truth really loving people, or is it protecting yourself from rejection?

Christian leaders being idolized creates real problems in the body of Christ. I also think the responsibility lies on both sides of the platform. Some Christian leaders may actively build their platform and others have one because we as Christians have put them up there. I think Christians should not be placing people on a pedestal to idolize. Jesus is the only one who is perfect. Jesus is the only one without sin. Jesus is the only one who died to save us and restore us to right relationship with God. 

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV) says, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,” We all have different gifts, and we are all called upon to do different works for the body of Christ. Some people are called on by God to lead people in a church setting. Some people are called on to lead people in a work or social setting. Some people will be given a microphone and speak to hundreds and thousands of people, and some people will be given a small group to show love to that will never hear that person that has the microphone. How can we say which is more important? How can we truly measure the impact on the kingdom?

I am so grateful to pastors and leaders that are willing to spend their time leading the body of Christ and encouraging us to draw closer to Christ. I think it is important to listen and receive from those people that may be running ahead of us in their relationship with God. We can learn from their successes and their mistakes. I think it is important to honor them.

However, we also have a responsibility to seek God for ourselves. God does not long to only connect to you from someone else’s experience. He longs to connect to you because you are you. He created you. He loves you. He died for you. He is not disappointed in you. He wants to connect with you and your heart. 

So how do you measure success? Are you doing what God set you on this Earth to do? Hundreds and thousands of people may never know your name, but God does. He knows how many hairs you have on your head, and he has intentionally positioned you to minister and love the people around you. Remember, friend, God is always for you. He loves you more than you can imagine. He gave up everything He had to have a relationship with you. Press into Him. You won’t regret drawing closer to Him.