Secret of Success

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4

Jesus’ words here are pretty pointed. You can’t do it alone - is pretty much the message Jesus brings to the people gathered to hear him in this passage. You’re not strong enough. You’re not good enough. You’re not man/woman enough. You’re not generous enough. You’re too selfish! That’s what I hear every time I read this passage.

Jesus says that I can’t bear fruit on my own. I think what he’s reminding me is that I will never be able to see the world around me if my eyes are fixed on myself. This must have been an issue that he saw in the world at that time. And I believe it’s a problem that still plagues us today!

We are bombarded daily with ways to get rich quick, succeed faster, grow our retirement accounts, get ahead anyway we can, work extra hours to impress the boss, be more successful…the list goes on and on. But how do we really gain success?

Jesus tells us that success is measured by fruitfulness. It isn’t measured by our income or our status in society but by the fruit that we are able to bear, not on our own but by remaining tapped into the vine. That’s where we are fed. That’s where we get fueled up for the challenges that life throws our way.

Jesus promises that no matter what, if we remain in Christ – he will remain in us. He will continue to feed us with the power of his Spirit. The secret of success isn’t in the stuff we bring but in the fact that no matter how many times we fall He’s right there to pick us up again! God doesn’t measure our generosity by our offering but by our heart – the heart that seeks him, the heart that longs for more of him, the heart that is tuned in to hear what he is speaking today!

Prayer

Generous Jesus – stay with me today! I struggle at times with the challenge of looking to you for strength. Help me today to lean on you. Be my strength. Show me how to be fruitful for you and your kingdom. AMEN