Success can be defined in many ways. It might be measured in ways such as wealth, prestige, fame, rewards, or recognition. Success, in and of itself, is not bad. One problem with success is that it may come to one person at the expense of another. One person’s gain might be another person’s loss. One person’s victory might be another person’s defeat. Success also can tend to breed self-centeredness and a failure to remember those less fortunate or those who sacrificed to contribute to one’s achievements. When Nouwen refers to the “anguish underlying all the glitter of success,” I think this is what he is means. How do we bring the “light of Jesus” to such places? We bring it with humility and gratitude for what we have and with a recognition that everything we have is a gift from God that, in a blink of an eye, can all evaporate. We also bring this light through leadership, not leadership of power, control, arrogance, or dominance, but leadership through selfless servanthood to our fellow humans.
Prayer: Lord, we are grateful for all the blessings of this life. Guide us through our life’s voyage and help us to live a life focusing on loving rather than being loved, on giving rather than receiving, and on serving rather than being served.
– Neal Dickert, EFM Alumnus
Neal, thank you for sharing that prayer, it really embodies the devotion and your reflection. I’ll add it to my prayers of thanksgiving and oblation.
Thanks,Neal.
The reflection and prayer are very meaningful to me .
Neal, thanks for this reminder.
Trina and I thank God every day for the blessings he has given us, and we try to share them at each opportunity given.
We do this with “gratitude for what we have and with a recognition that everything we have is a gift from God that, in a blink of an eye, can all evaporate. ”
Thanks be to God.
A beautiful reflection. Thank you.