Article November 19, 1927 Issue

Success

CHARLES B. WEEKS

THE question often arises as to what really constitutes true success. Is it the accumulation of material possessions? Is it dominion or personal preferment over mankind through any of the various devices of political, social, civil, or professional life? Inquiring of those who have accomplished success along these lines, we find that the answer in the majority of cases is in the negative. No real permanent happiness was thus attained; in fact, the results were far from satisfying. Can we call anything a success in the truest and best sense which is not substantial and permanent? Jesus gave us the parable of the man who laid up treasure for himself, but was not rich toward God. We read that God said to him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" Jesus defined true success when he declared, "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." This meant that his overcoming of self was complete; and naturally there was nothing left in his consciousness that responded to the temptation of the world, the flesh, or the devil.

In the book of Joshua we find this wonderful admonition: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

Mankind are prone to think that their difficulties, their failures to succeed, lie in the circumstances, the conditions, the environment in which they find themselves, when in reality these lie in their lack of the knowledge of God. Consequently, in working out our everyday problems, of whatever name or nature, the vital point is for us to learn more to Truth, to become more Godlike, to realize more clearly the ever-presence of the infinite One. Our difficulties to quite a large extent arise from the fact that we face them as realities. Jesus, who knew the unreality and powerlessness of evil of every sort, said, "Be not afraid." The fact is that evil has no power to influence our lives, and can in no wise interfere with our harmony, our prosperity, or our success.

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Divine Service
November 19, 1927
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