True Success

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading titled, True Success, was written by Sheridan Voisey. My interview guest politely answered my questions. I had a feeling, though, that something lurked beneath our interaction. A passing comment brought it out. You're inspiring thousands of people, I said. Not thousands, he muttered, millions. And as if pitying my ignorance, my guest reminded me of his credentials, the titles he held, the things he'd achieved, the magazine he'd graced.

It was an awkward moment. Ever since that experience, I've been struck by how God revealed himself to Moses on Mount Sinai in the book of Exodus. Here was the creator of the cosmos and judge of humanity. But God didn't use his titles.

Here was the maker of 100 billion galaxies. But such feats weren't mentioned either. Instead, God introduced himself as the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. When he reveals who he is, it isn't his titles or achievements he lists, but the kind of character he has. As people made in God's image and called to follow his example, this is profound.

Achievement is good, titles have their place. But what really matters is how compassionate, gracious, and loving we're becoming. Like that interview guest, we too can base our significance on our achievements.

I have. But our God has modeled what true success is. Not what's written on our business cards or resumes, but how we're becoming like him. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Exodus chapter 34, verses 1 through 7. The Lord said to Moses, Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets which you broke. Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain.

Not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain. So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning as the Lord had commanded him, and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses proclaiming the Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.

Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished. He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you for coming to earth with humility and peace rather than with overwhelming power, showing us a better way to live and be. When we are tempted to parade our accomplishments around and become arrogant, remind us of what Christ displayed while he was on earth and help us to turn that pride into praise to you. Knowing that apart from you, we can do nothing. Thank you, Father. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.