Coping With the Perplexing Perils of Prosperity

We all have experienced difficulties in many forms – financial struggles; health challenges; ongoing family conflicts; emergencies occurring at absolutely the worst possible times; working hard toward a desired goal only to see it elude our grasp and never come to fruition. But tough times build tough people, right? Out of necessity, we learn how to cope with adversity.  

But what about prosperity? How good are we at dealing with times when everything seems to be going well?

That might seem strange to ask. We love the good times. To borrow the musical stanza from the Ira Gershwin opera, “Porgy and Bess,” what’s not to like about “Summertime, when the livin’ is easy”? 

 

But in reality, the way we handle and process prosperity might be a greater and more accurate test of character than adversity. Because during hard times, unless we simply give up, we do whatever it takes to survive and make it past the crisis. We turn on our internal survival mechanism and shift into high gear. Prosperity, on the other hand, can trigger positive or negative responses.

 

There are countless stories of people who fought hard to reach the heights of their vocation – including entertainers, athletes, business executives, politicians, other public figures – only to suffer tragic tumbles from grace. They couldn’t handle success. Sadly, this has proved true as well for some who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.

 

Reading a devotional by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great British preacher of the mid-to-late 1800s, brought this to mind. Referring to a statement by the apostle Paul, Spurgeon observed:

“There are many who know ‘how to be abased,’ who have not learned ‘how to abound.’ When they are set on the top of a pinnacle, their heads grow dizzy, and they are ready to fall. The Christian far more often disgraces his profession in prosperity than in adversity…. The crucible of adversity is a less severe trial to the Christian than the refining pot of prosperity…. When (Paul) had much, he knew how to use it. Abundant grace enabled him to bear abundant prosperity.”

 

Spurgeon was referring to Philippians 4:12, in which Paul told of having to “learn” how to deal times when he was prospering, both personally and in ministry. He wrote, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Another translation expresses the apostle’s sentiments a bit differently: “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

 

Throughout history people have wrestled with what we might term the “peril of prosperity.” Throughout the Old Testament we read about the Israelites, God’s chosen people, who cried out to the Lord in times of distress only to give Him little thought when things seemed to be going smoothly. Despite their religious rituals, they lived as “practical atheists,” until the next calamity reminded them of how desperately they needed to rely on God. They were abominably slow learners.

 

In a collection of proverbs in the Bible, written by someone known as “Agur son of Jakeh,” we read this cautionary request: “…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8-9).

 

Another verse in the same Old Testament book also notes how difficult it can be to deal appropriately with success and acclaim: “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives” (Proverbs 27:21). Apparently, we learn to pass this test with time and experience.

 

During times of difficulty many of us are quick to turn to God, pleading for His intervention and resolution of our problems. But how many of us are equally eager to acknowledge and humbly deflect to Him any praise we receive when things “couldn’t be better” and all seems right in our world? Are we prepared to pass the “test” then?

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.

Being Tested By Good Times?

Striving for a proper balance at work - and life.

Going through difficult times, by definition, is never easy. I’ve often subscribed to the philosophy that I wouldn’t mind hard work – if it wasn’t so difficult. The same applies to life circumstances – many, often too-frequent, trying times that test our resolve, our willingness to persevere, even our faith.

But have you ever considered that sometimes the greatest tests we face in life come when things seem to be going very well?

I was attending a convention where one night the speaker talked about being tested in life. He gave some principles from the Bible and offered examples from his own life, a series of hardships he had endured both at work and in his personal life. Most could relate to what he was saying. 

However, as he spoke, a verse I had read just days before came to mind: “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives” (Proverbs 27:21). Tested by praise? Really? What does that mean? At the same convention, I had several opportunities to experience that principle firsthand.

At the time I was the editor of a CBMC magazine called CONTACT and had guided a major revamping of the publication, both in content and design. Before the changes, members who received it typically responded with a shrug. It was just another piece of mail, something they might scan, but only if time permitted. After the changes had been implemented, it became a welcomed, anticipated addition to their mailboxes, and I started to hear many favorable comments.

During the convention, several men I did not know stopped me (from recognizing my name badge, I suppose) to tell me how much they appreciated the magazine and the articles about people seeking to live out their faith in the workplace. Since writers don’t often receive positive comments on their work, my first reaction was to soak up the compliments. Then I remembered the verse about being tested by praise.

Instead, I chose to express my gratitude for the gracious words while mentally deflecting the “praise” to God, knowing that after all, it was He who had provided me with the abilities, experience and even the wisdom to make the positive changes that people were responding to. As Jesus told His followers, including me, “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

This admonition isn’t limited just to writers and magazine editors, of course. When someone commends your efforts on a project at work, how do you respond – not just externally, but also inwardly? If you speak to a group, or lead a Sunday school class, and someone tells you what a good job you did, how do you feel? When a stranger compliments how well-behaved your child is, does your chest swell with pride – along with your head?

Just days ago I stopped by my highly accomplished cardiothoracic surgeon’s new office and noticed a sign posted behind the receptionist’s desk. It read, “WORK HARD and STAY HUMBLE.” Knowing my surgeon, that’s a motto he lives by. Maybe we should as well.

Being Put to the Test By Praise?

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m really being tested right now”? Maybe you’ve said that yourself a time or two. When we think of being tested, here are some things that come to mind: Financial difficulties. Health problems. Family and relationship conflict. Difficult, even insurmountable problems at work. A time when we have no choice but to exercise patience. Testing isn’t fun – at least not usually.

I was reminded of this during a recent quiet time when I read a curious statement about testing from the Bible. The passage, Proverbs 27:21, states, "The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives."

When we talk about being tested, it’s usually within a context of adversity or struggle. But have you ever been “tested” by praise? Can times when things are going great and seemingly can’t get any better become occasions for us to be tested?

Pat gently - don't
break your arm!

Actually, they can. How often have you heard of stellar athletes, famous entertainers, particularly young ones, or (dare we say it) politicians getting a “big head”? Sadly, far too often. Once-promising stars get caught up by the lavish praise they receive and end up short-circuiting their careers and falling to personal and professional ruin.

But we don’t have to be individuals whose names appear on celebrity TV or the gossip magazines to be tested by praise. At work our boss can praise us for work well done or high productivity, or we can be singled out for a prestigious award. It’s one thing to receive compliments graciously and feel the pride of accomplishment; it’s another to wallow in the praise and practically break our arms patting ourselves on the back.

In his acclaimed book, Good to Great, Jim Collins led a team of people that studied high-performing companies, seeking to identify their secrets. Initially they attempted to discount the impact of leadership, reasoning it’s too easy to give credit to leaders for an organization’s success. After a while, however, they realized the influence of leaders was an intrinsic factor.

Of particular interest was that many of the leaders of top companies shared two qualities: Unwavering determination and great humility. When commended for the performance of their organizations, the leaders typically adopted an “aw, shucks” attitude. More often than not, rather than absorbing the praise, they would respond something like, “Our people did all the work” or, “They could have gotten it done without me.”

There’s something endearing about people who demonstrate high character by remaining humble despite extraordinary success. Maybe we’ll never be CEO of a company that becomes an industry leader, but there’s still much for which we can receive praise. It might be a promotion at work, recognition for service in our community or at church, or even the achievements of our children. How do we react when showered with praise?

Another verse offers this advice: “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips” (Proverbs 27:2). In other words, when others speak well of us, it’s best not to say – or even think to ourselves – “You’re right about that!”

But there’s an even better way to “pass the test” when praise and compliments come our way. We can accept the kind words, since they are intended as a gift. At the same time we can remind ourselves of the apostle Paul’s words, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), while also acknowledging, “Apart from Me (Jesus Christ) you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

What's Not to Like About Being Liked?

It might not be universal, but a deep-seated desire most of us share is to be liked. If we can’t be loved by everyone, wouldn’t it be great at least to have everyone like us?

Did you envy the person voted “Most Popular” in your high school yearbook? Or maybe that individual was you. If it was, how did that feel? I can’t imagine, but it must have been nice.

In 1984, actress Sally Field discovered
her peers really, really liked her.

Sally Field summed it up for many of us in 1984, upon winning a best actress Academy Award for her role in the film, “Places in the Heart.” Her iconic acceptance speech featured the memorable declaration, “…and I can’t deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you like me!”

Don’t we all wish we could say that? We certainly try hard enough.

We worry about whether people will like what we wear – at work, at school, to ballgames, even to church. We fret over how people will respond to the free food we serve them at a dinner party or picnic. We agonize over whether we’re sending our kids to the right school and what people will say. We wonder what people will think if they see us doing certain things or going to certain places. We want people to think well of us – to like us, just like Sally Field.

But being liked by one and all isn’t easy these days. In fact, it’s downright impossible. As politically correct as our society has become, we’re inclined to hesitate even before stating something as simple as "the sky is blue," for fear someone might take offense. There’s no way to have everyone agree with us, much less like us without reservation.

That’s not to say we should go out of our way to make people dislike us; some of them will do it without our help. If we take a stand on anything, whether it’s about politics, sports, morality, TV shows, matters of faith, even the brand of detergent we use, we’re sure to find folks that will vehemently disagree.

On the other hand, what’s there to like about someone that insists on being noncommittal about everything? As someone has said, if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

There’s actually a positive to not being liked by every single person we meet. During His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus cited four “woes” or warnings about when things seem to be going too well. Definitely no stranger to opposition, Jesus told His followers, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26).

He was offering the caution that if our primary aim is likeability, we’ll find ourselves hopelessly entrenched in compromise, striving to be people-pleasers rather than God-pleasers. It can’t work both ways.

Proverbs 27:21 presents an interesting observation: “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.” Just as silver and gold are refined by extreme heat, the quality of our character is revealed by how we respond to what others say and think of us. There’s danger if the motivation behind what we do and say is to receive the approval and acceptance of others.

The esteemed religious leaders of Jesus’ day were subjects of this scathing commentary: “Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God” (John 12:42-43).

Yes, it’s agreeable to feel liked by people around us. Sure beats being disliked or hated. But there’s value in approaching everyday life as if “playing to an audience of One.” Then we can anticipate one day hearing the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21-23).