If you asked someone in the street what they think success is, the chances are that you would hear statements like ‘getting rich’, ‘making the big time’, ‘being in demand’, ‘achieving something great’, ‘winning’, ‘having everything go right for you’, ‘enjoying a lucky streak’, or any number of answers like that.

It seems taken for granted that a successful person will have plenty of money, with fame and happiness always at their fingertips. It seems almost a law that if you haven’t experienced any of this, then you have failed. Therefore, you must keep trying.

If we agree with this description of success, perhaps we have unquestioningly swallowed a popular fallacy.

Using a better measure

I consider my mother a success. She raised a decent family and set them in the right direction. She worked hard and carried all her responsibilities with dedication and good spirits. She never made enemies but showed friendliness and helpfulness to everyone. She kept house for her husband until old age.

But she never had her picture in the paper, never had much money, never made a mark in the corporate world or feasted on pleasure. But if you use the measure that says character and virtue make for success, then she was a success. And there have been millions like her.

How you think is important

Simply reaching your goals doesn’t make you successful. Obviously, the goals themselves must come into the equation. A thief can be successful. A murderer can be successful. A warlord can be successful. We may have goals that don’t look evil, but we need to ask how good they are and not just assume that they are fine. What do we want to achieve? Why? For whose sake are they done, and by what means? All must be answered.

A man called Pilate looked successful. He ruled with strength under the Roman Emperor. The leaders of the Jews looked successful. So religious, so respected and feared, having such a long, dignified pedigree. The man who stood before them on trial looked like a success story a little time ago, but now like a positive disaster. The power of Jewish hatred and Roman legal strength was about to crush him and all his aspirations.

Those who saw him being ridiculed, spat upon and beaten with open hands and clenched fists must have felt that they were looking at a most unfortunate individual. If they followed him outside the city, carrying the cross he was to die upon, even strangers to the case would have felt some pity for him. Then, should they have stood nearby watching him shed his blood and writhe in agony, it would have seemed cruel beyond words. His death, to the passer-by was pathetic, shameful, and repulsive.

Ah, but the truth

Jesus made clear what his mission was. He came into the world with it all laid out. He pursued his goals: teaching eternal truths, announcing the purposes of God, and showing the character of God. Then, going to His death to achieve the saving of others, He paid the price for our sin, and giving away his life so that we may have life. Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15Colossians 2:15).

That he was successful is overwhelmingly proven. The Father raised him from death because he had done all that was required of him. As Saviour, he has lifted countless people out of their failure and into life that never ends. This is what we remember each year at Easter.

Without doubt, he is the most successful achiever in history.