Are you a failure or a success?

Your answer depends on your definition of success. Is success the attainment of a position of distinction and a large salary? Is it driving a car that makes people's heads turn, or buying the house you've always wanted?

While affluence and prestige may sometimes accompany success, anyone who believes it to be largely dependent on material symbols is in danger of being frustrated. To define success in the competitive sense of rising to the top of the heap would necessarily doom the majority of mankind to failure or mediocrity. Simple arithmetic tells us that only a very small percentage of people can be in the top ranks of any field.

Then, if advancement to an illustrious position is not a practical expectation for all of us, how can we measure our progress? It may be useful here to consider what the Bible and the teachings of Christian Science have to say about the purpose of life.

Shortly before his crucifixion Christ Jesus declared, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." ^{John 18:37.}

In her Message to The Mother Church for 1902, Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded Christian Science, writes, "To live and let live, without clamor for distinction or recognition; to wait on divine Love; to write truth first on the tablet of one's own heart,—this is the sanity and perfection of living, and my human ideal." ^{'02., p. 2.} There is nothing in these statements about wealth or rank, and yet how successful is the individual whose daily life expresses this ideal!

Even if fame and fortune were suddenly thrust upon one, true success would be won only through one's own persistent, progressive demonstration of spiritual purpose. Real success is characterized by an attitude—a quality of being—not by money or recognition. It has less to do with what task we perform than how we perform it.

That success is a condition of character rather than a result of material achievements is confirmed by the lives of many well-known biblical figures. For instance, early in his career Joseph suffered setbacks that might have caused some people to resign themselves to failure. But Joseph didn't depend on money or prestige to define his status. His exemplary character and love for God made success inevitable, whether he was in an honored position or in a prison cell. As a prisoner, Joseph didn't mope around waiting for a royal audience to give him an opportunity to succeed; he received a royal audience because he was already a success by virtue of his obedience to God. His love for God was not dependent on the social or political climate surrounding him, and the spiritual dominion he gained from this love gave him a stature far above those of higher social rank.

David also proved himself in humble surroundings before advancing to rulership. He was not merely biding his time in his father's fields, waiting to use his talents when some great opportunity appeared. He was already using his talents to the best of his ability where he was, developing his skills as a musician and shepherd.

Christ Jesus, too, proved his effectiveness as a workingman before gaining public attention as the Messiah. Of the importance of spirituality to every facet of his life, Mrs. Eddy writes: "This spiritual idea, or Christ, entered into the minutiæ of the life of the personal Jesus. It made him an honest man, a good carpenter, and a good man, before it could make him the glorified." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 166.}

These examples would indicate that success in small things is a prerequisite for dominion in larger responsibilities. Jesus himself conveyed this thought in the parable of the talents. He told of a master declaring to an obedient servant, "Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things." ^{Matt. 25:21.}

Does this mean, then, that we should try to do our best today just so we receive a future reward? Far from it! Such a motive would reveal a misunderstanding of Scripture. Jesus admonished his disciples not to be concerned over who should be greatest. He said, "For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth." ^{Luke 22:27.} This was not the same as saying our object should be to serve because servants are the greatest. He was trying to draw attention away from the question of personal greatness. To be great—whether through service or rulership—is not the goal of a Christian. The Christian's goal is goodness, Godlikeness.

Those who sought the Christ merely for the loaves and fishes—the material fringe benefits—were openly rebuked by Jesus. ^{See John 6:26–59 .} His life indicates that to him success meant fulfilling his Father's plan, whether that resulted in scorn or in invitations to dine with the wealthy. He was never concerned with seeking human greatness, nor did he become a rich man. Yet who has had greater impact on the world or been a greater success in fulfilling a given mission than Jesus? Even his crucifixion was turned into an unparalleled triumph through his resurrection and ascension. Why was his life such a success? Because he did the will of the Father rather than seek approval from a fickle, materialistic society. And he did this not only on special religious occasions or during times of personal crisis, but each moment, day after day, whether he was taking a walk or paying his taxes. How can our lives be truly successful? The same way—by doing the will of the Father moment by moment.

Is there ever a time when we are not presented with an opportunity to experience success? Think about it. In everything we do—from sweeping the floor to addressing multitudes—we have a choice of doing it as well as we can or doing less than our best. We can perform tasks as if we were independent mortals drawing on our own limited abilities and enthusiasm, or we can act as immortals created and supported by Spirit, reflecting unlimited ability from the one creator.

To feel the inner satisfaction and contentment that most people long for, we must strive to perform at the peak of our ability both in the big and the little tasks. Instead of being a competitive struggle for personal advancement, this activity is a calm and buoyant acknowledgment of the excellence that characterizes the real nature of each of us as children of God.

From this discussion we may rightly conclude that to companion with God in daily life is to be a success. To get through a day without giving in to discouragement, self-pity, anger, procrastination, or other ungodlike traits is to be a success. To brighten someone's day with a genuine smile or kind word is to be a success. To see oneself or another as the perfect image of God's being rather than as a flawed mortal is to be a success.

Why are these things counted as success? Because they express to some degree our true identity as offspring of God. Since the Christianly scientific fact is that we each are created in God's image, for us to neglect the expression of God's qualities would mean failure; whereas the active manifestation of those qualities would mean success in fulfilling our individual potential—truly being ourselves—to the highest degree. This task, while demanding, becomes less difficult when we realize that our true identity as divine reflection enables us to prove our unlimited ability to do all things well.

As our goals rise above the pursuit of materialistic ends to the fulfillment of Christly means, our definition of success gains deeper significance. It becomes far more than just a comparative mortal measure of wealth and accomplishment. It becomes an attitude of thought, a way of life, so permeating our consciousness that our whole lives are transformed and purified. Such success unites us with the healing Christ and has no pyramidic structure that would consign the majority to the bottom of the heap. This success is born of universal Love and therefore is available to everyone, everywhere.