The Insidious Snare of Success

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the late Welsh minister and medical doctor, was a well-known expository preacher and author of many books on the Bible and biblical truth. Sounds like he experienced more than his share of success. Given that, it’s interesting that he observed, “the worst thing that can happen to a man is to succeed before he is ready.”

 

Some of us might respond, “Why does he say that?” After all, we all want to succeed in whatever endeavors we choose. The sooner success arrives the better, right?

 

In reality, sudden success can prove to be a slippery slope. We don’t need to name names, but we can all think of pro athletes, entertainers, business leaders and politicians who became celebrated early in their careers only to wind up in a ditch somewhere. People once on the brink of promising, bright futures ending up on the human scrap heap.

There are a number of reasons for this insidious snare, but I think one primary cause is summarized by Proverbs 27:21, which says, “The furnace is for silver and the crucible for gold, but a man is tested by the praise he receives.” Receiving acclaim and fame before one is prepared to handle it properly can prove devastating.

 

But we don’t have to become household names to struggle with handling success. Rising quickly through the ranks at work, winning the lottery, receiving a substantial inheritance, or even gaining positions of influence in our church or community early in our adult lives can result in being “tested by the praise [we] receive.”

 

Readiness to experience success in appropriate ways requires maturity and experience. But you can’t teach experience – or maturity. Those come (hopefully) only with the slow passage of time, seasoned with ample doses of perseverance, struggle, humility – and failure. God can use all of those to shape our character, as we’re told in Romans 5:4.

 

Reading through the Scriptures we find one example after another of individuals who were used in extraordinary ways by the Lord, but only after they had been tried and tested. 

 

Among them was Joseph, who after being sold off by his jealous brothers, then wrongly accused and imprisoned for years, rose to righthand-man status to the pharaoh in Egypt. Moses, raised in the Egyptian pharaoh’s family, was forced into exile for 40 years before God singled him out to lead the Israelites out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery. 

 

Nehemiah was a lowly cupbearer for Persian king Artaxerxes, a responsibility he performed faithfully. Eventually the respect he earned from the king gave him authority to play a key role in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Then there was Daniel, who had been handpicked to train for service to the king in Babylon. He clung to his faith and convictions, refusing to compromise, and over time was accorded a position of great influence.

 

We see how Jesus’ disciples – who after His death and resurrection became apostles taking the Gospel message to both Jews and Gentiles – were carefully prepared for their missional work. Paul didn’t become a fruitful missionary and major contributor to New Testament writings overnight either. After gaining elite status as a Pharisee and persecutor of Christians, he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. Even then, God didn’t give him a leadership role with Christ’s followers until nearly a dozen more years of spiritual “seasoning.”

 

This isn’t to say that younger people shouldn’t be entrusted with leadership positions. But the Bible warns of getting caught up in success too soon at any age. As we read in 1 Peter 5:5-6, “Young men, in the same way, be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothes yourselves with humility toward one another, because ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.”

 

Hard work, determination, initiative, talent and imagination are all ingredients for success. But they are best nurtured over time and utilized with humility, recognizing the gifts God bestows and opportunities He presents – in due time.

Humility: Capacity for Putting Self on the Shelf

Whether it’s athletes, politicians, entertainers, business leaders, or people we encounter every day, we understand the value of confidence and self-assurance. But at the same time, perhaps paradoxically, we also delight in seeing and hearing displays of genuine humility. 

 

We find many examples of non-humility, people with household names who seem consumed with themselves. “Look at me!” “I’m so great!” “Did you see what I’ve done?” Even if their accomplishments are significant, don’t you find attitudes like that extremely off-putting?

 

Not sure who said it first, but here’s a great definition of true humility: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself but rather, thinking of yourself less.” It doesn’t mean self-flagellation or self-deprecation. But it does mean, as Romans 12:3 expresses it, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

 

Even for individuals unusually gifted in certain areas, there’s little reason for becoming overly prideful. As the apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:7, “…What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” 

 

In other words, even if one can run fast or jump high, speak powerfully in a resonant voice, sing glorious melodies, or influence people through a winning personality, that’s not cause for boasting. We can hone and refine innate talents through training and practice, but we couldn’t have excelled without the raw talents to begin with.

 

It’s become a Christmastime tradition for some people to engage in escapades they call, “Elf on the Shelf.” Humility can be a year-round pursuit – putting self on the shelf.

 

I’ve found an excellent description of this in what I refer to as the “do nothing” verse from the Bible: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). 

 

When we encounter someone sincerely concerned about the needs of other people, even at a cost to themselves, doesn’t that warm our hearts? People like Mother Teresa come to mind, as well as folks who dedicate themselves to working with the homeless and the inner-city poor, schoolteachers resolved to identify the best in every student, and other sacrificial endeavors.

 

We can manifest the so-called Christian life in many ways, but one of the most attractive traits of a true follower of Jesus Christ is humility, not thinking of yourself more highly than you ought. We have no greater example than Jesus Himself.

 

Philippians 2:5-8 admonishes, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and become obedient to death – even death on a cross.” 

 

His example applies to everyone, but especially for those in positions of leadership and great influence. As Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke12:48).

 

We often interpret this teaching in terms of wealth and material possessions, but it also concerns the abilities and opportunities the Lord gives and sets before us. Rather than utilizing them for our own advantage, the principle is we’re to use them to benefit others. We find the following exhortation for those in leadership:

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be…eager to serve, not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock…. Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:2-6).

 

Is this easy? Or even natural? No. We’ve heard people say, ”If I don’t look out for myself, who will?” So, it requires a willingness and determination to follow through on what Jesus instructed: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). This is one reason Paul wrote, “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). It’s an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

 

Much more than could be written about this; I wrestle with it more often than I’d like to admit. But one place to start is by heeding the challenge of Hebrews 12:2 – ”Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame….” Focusing on Him and not ourselves can be a beneficially humbling experience.