Redefining Success
Even in the middle of a summer packed with activities, events, and entertainment options, much of the focus of a student’s life can come down to achievement. Summer jobs often involve earning money successfully toward a specific goal. Sports camps and workouts are about getting better for the next season. Even Bible studies and mission trips can come with an emphasis on self-improvement as a Christian.
Here’s a kind of subtle question: How are we defining success? In our effort to help our kids see life from a biblical point of view, do we sometimes end up communicating to them that Jesus—or Christianity—is meant to be a tool for making themselves more successful as athletes, students, or people in relationships? Are we unintentionally modeling the idea that Jesus is a problem-fixer or success-enhancer on the road to personal victory?
We’re pulling our talking points from Colossians 2:1-8 this week, where Paul describes himself as struggling for the purpose of helping people see that knowing Jesus is the goal of life, not a means to other ends. It’s all about Jesus, not personal success or failure or entertainment or progress.
Maybe the following questions will make the idea more clear—and help to generate some good conversation with your son or daughter about keeping their focus on Christ. Think about reading this short passage together.
Talking Points
- Paul describes himself as struggling to accomplish a specific purpose, to meet a need in the lives of people he has never met. What are some professions in which people struggle to meet the needs of strangers? [Parent: For starters, nurses, soldiers, air traffic controllers, safety engineers, etc.]
- Why do those people work so hard to help others? [Parent: Maybe for money or glory, but often because they see a need that someone cannot provide for themselves.]
- What kinds of needs do those people meet? [Parent: Needs may include the need for safety, medical attention, freedom, etc..]
- Would you ever risk your life to provide for the needs of strangers? What kinds of needs would be worth sacrificing yourself to meet?
- Paul struggled and sacrificed to help people understand a very critical truth. It’s a need for understanding we all have, even as Christians. What would you guess that need is?
- Do you think you need to be encouraged in your heart? Where do strong hearts come from? Do you think if we lack courageous hearts, we’re missing something in our relationship with God?
- Do you think we are united with other Christians in love? What would be some examples of that? Why does that break down? Do you think we’re living the full life God wants for us if we are divided from other Christians by anger, bitterness, jealousy, or fear?
- Would you say you are rich in your understanding of Jesus? Why or why not?
- Do you know Christians who appear to be poor in understanding Jesus? What does that look like in their lives?
- Do you think we sometimes try to use Jesus—or our relationship with God—as a tool to make our own lives better, to makes ourselves more successful in school or sports or work? Would their be anything wrong with that?
- Does being a Christian—or following Jesus closely—necessarily mean that we’ll get better grades or do better in sports or make more money? Why or why not?
- Should we expect that following Jesus will make our lives easier, keep bad things from happening to us, or make us more popular? Why or why not?
- If Christianity is not necessarily intended to make us better, more successful people, what is the point of following Jesus? Or is following Jesus its own point?
- When you need knowledge or wisdom, where is the first place you look? Why?
- Paul said that all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom are hidden in Christ. What do you think that means? How can we look for knowledge and wisdom in our relationship with God through Jesus?
- Some people tell really excellent lies about God and Jesus. Sometimes they even believe those lies themselves. What are some things people say about Jesus that can sound really good in a way even though they are false?
- If Jesus is God’s final answer to having a right relationship with Him, why would it be dangerous to believe the wrong things about Jesus?
- Do you think your faith in Jesus is firm? What would you say is the difference between a firm faith and a flimsy one?
- Is it harder for you to trust God when things are going well or when they’re going badly? Why do you think that is?
- Do you think you could call a life successful if a person grew deep and strong in a relationship with Jesus but never made much money or became popular or traveled much?
- Same question in reverse: Do you think you could call a life successful if a person had a weak relationship with Jesus but made lots of money or traveled a lot or became well-known and well-liked? Why?
Back.
