The Wrong Scoreboard

"To become like Christ is the only thing in the world worth caring for." — Henry Drummond

That quote is exactly how Scripture defines success. When we're tempted to measure achievement by accumulation and applause, the Bible redirects our focus.

In Luke 12:15, Jesus warns, "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Then He tells of the rich fool—a man who looked successful by every earthly measure and missed what mattered most. His confidence was in the provisions, not in the Provider.

That story forces a question--what scoreboard are we using?

At BMA Financial, we deal in finances every day, and we'll be honest about what we see. In our world, a person's net worth is far too often treated as the measure of the person. Yet we know plenty of people with strong balance sheets who are not successful. Their faith is thin or non-existent and their families are fractured. The things that matter most at the end of life were neglected in the pursuit of money.

The problem is that we've shrunk the word "wealth" down to a bank balance. Wealth is much bigger than that.

There is spiritual wealth. If you belong to Christ, you are a child of the King. "The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof" (Psalm 24:1)—and you are His heir, a joint-heir with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17). You don't merely know a wealthy God, you have royal blood flowing through your veins!

There is family wealth—children, grandchildren, the people who share your table and your name.

There is social wealth—a network of true friends. A man with a fortune and no friends is a miserable man indeed.

There is physical wealth—your health. How could you quantify the value of your health?

And yes, there is financial wealth. It's real, and it matters. But it's one component among several, and not the most important one.

Paul gives us the right scoreboard in Philippians 3:8: "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."

That's true success. When all is said and done, it isn't about bigger barns or stronger balance sheets. Real success isn't what you gain—it's who you become in Christ. So the next time you're tempted to call someone wealthy, make sure you're using the right definition—and the right basis.

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Steve Crawley, PhD

BMA Financial

Executive Director