Davidisms: True Success

How do you define and measure true success?

In my opinion, true success is doing the best you can with what you have. Period. It’s not defined in comparison with what others are doing or have accomplished. But what you have done with what God has given you.

I’ll never forget something my college basketball coach, Dean Smith, wished for one year. He wanted the “Coach of the Year” award to be given to the coach of a team that lost 20 games - and won only ten! But that coach had done the most with what he had on his team.

Coach Smith believed that that was the coach who experienced true success. He did an extraordinary job with mediocre talent. Which is far more difficult than consistently winning with exceptionally talented players!

When you stand before Jesus one day, all he will desire is for you to have done your best with the talents he gave you (Matthew 25:14-30). This is God’s definition of true success.

God will never compare your success to another’s.

And neither should you.

Davidisms: Not "Show and Tell" but "Go and Tell!"

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19).

What’s God’s favorite game to watch his children play?

It’s not “Show and tell!” but “Go and tell!”

Jesus wants his followers to just go into the world to be witnesses to people “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This means sharing the gospel to both those in your community and to those throughout the world. To those who have never heard the name of Jesus.

Too often in our Christian lives we play “Show and tell.” It’s all about us. The emphasis of the Christian life is what Jesus can do for us. My needs and wants, not his.

But the Christian life is to be lived for Jesus and his glory. It’s all about him. It’s not “Show and tell” but “Go and tell!”

Pray today that God would lead you to one person who needs a word about Jesus’s love and forgiveness. Then tell them!

And feel your heart warmed with God’s favor and encouragement.

This is why you were created!

Davidisms: The Most Difficult Position to Play in the Orchestra is Second Fiddle

The famous conductor Leonard Bernstein once said that the most difficult position to play in the orchestra is second fiddle.

How true! Everyone wants to be first. The superstar. The champion. The greatest. The hero of the story.

Yet Jesus said, “The greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). And that’s exactly how Jesus lived his life. As a servant to his followers.

The best example of this profound truth is the Savior of the world taking a towel and a basin and washing his disciples’ feet (John 13:1-13). What a courageous demonstration by Jesus, displaying the essence of Godly leadership and influence. Humility in action.

May all of us learn to play “second fiddle” in God’s orchestra.

It is through servanthood that we become great in God’s eyes.