The World Is Not Enough

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. 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.

– Philippians 4:12

You’ve heard the old saying about success: It’s lonely at the top.

And for some people, achieving success and celebrity status can turn out to be a bit too lonely. Let’s look at Howard Hughes’ example.

Hughes was one of the richest men in the world when he died in 1976. An extremely successful businessman and founder of Hughes Aircraft Company, the Houston, TX, native was also an aviation pioneer, movie producer, and real estate developer — and that’s not to mention his considerable financial stakes in mining and communications.

In so many ways, he was a man of the world.

And he was no doubt a huge success by the world’s standards. But during his final years, Hughes became a recluse plagued by paranoia and an extreme fear of germs. Wracked with pain caused in part by injuries suffered in a plane crash, he eventually died of kidney failure. Perhaps it was no coincidence that this man of the world left his worldly existence while flying to Houston!

Hughes’ story isn’t typical, and it’s unlikely that most of us will become billionaires any time soon. But his example does point to the pitfalls of living for worldly success.

Striving to climb the ladder of success seems to be engrained in many of us. We want a bigger house, a better job, and the latest smartphone. And above all, we need to impress others. It comes down to our personal world of power, fame, and advancement. Ultimately, it’s all about us.

It’s hard to believe that we have it all so backward. According to the Bible, there’s no such thing as a self-made man or woman. Everything that we have — our money, possessions, job, and health — is due to God’s generosity. He gives it to us freely, and he can also take it away without notice.

Likewise, our Creator has a much different definition of success. So, instead of living self-centered lives, Christ-followers should celebrate him by doing the most good in the world with the talents and resources we’re given. It turns out that it's our faithfulness to God that’s the real gold standard of success.

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Jesus asked his followers. “Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Those are tough questions that we need to consider. But from God’s perspective, having it all in this world turns out to mean having nothing at all.