How to Be Successful

How to Be Successful

By Michael Galloway

In the past several weeks the name Steve Jobs has been on the news quite a bit. Steve Jobs was the Apple Founder, and CEO that was largely responsible for a great deal of the technology that we have today. Steve Jobs has been idolized by the media because he was very successful in what he did. It has also been interesting to me that at the same time that the media has sensationalized the death of Steve Jobs they have also given a large amount of attention to the protests on Wall Street. At the same moment that they have been memorializing Steve Jobs, a very successful entrepreneur, they have been encouraging the protests on Wall Street that would like to punish success, and be given something for nothing. This has brought the question into my mind. How can we become successful in life? The Bible tells us how to be successful. Many organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous use Biblical principles as they instruct individuals on how to be successful. I believe that many of the financial problems in our world today could have been averted if the principles found in the Bible had been applied. Notice several principles of success that God’s word tells us (this is by no means an exhaustive list).

1)      If you do not work, you will not eat! 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Think about how different our world would be if this principle was engrained in people’s minds!

2)      Don’t be lazy! Proverbs 13:4, Matthew 25:26.

3)      Be Honest!  Proverbs 11:1, Revelation 21:8, Luke 16:1-8

4)      Have Self-Control! Galatians 5:22-23

5)      Be a good steward with your money! Matthew 25:14-30

6)      Don’t oppress the poor! Proverbs 22:16

7)      Don’t muzzle the ox! The worker deserves his wages. 1 Timothy 5:18

8)      Realize that money isn’t everything! Matthew 6:19-21, 1 Timothy 6:8-10

The ultimate measure of success will not be judged by the amount of money that you have accumulated but instead by the life that you have lived. Everyone will face death at some point, it doesn’t matter if you are a Steve Jobs, a President of the United States, a “normal” citizen, we will all face death. When death comes the only thing that will matter is have I been successful spiritually? The ultimate success will be living your life to where one day you will have a home in Heaven!