When Being Successful Pushes You Away From God - Part II
So we all want to be more successful - at work, at being a husband, a father...and so much more. We know a life of mediocrity isn't for us.
So let's say you start seeing success. Yes, even in this tough economy, you're one of the ones who are making out OK. Whether it's because you're in an industry that's doing well (are there any U.S. industries doing well these days?), or because you're lucky, or whatever. Now what?
Well, you've got a choice to make. You can either take all the credit - or give credit where credit is due: to God.
Yes, you'll give God credit. Of course. He's the One who deserves all the credit. But wait. What about me? Don't I get any credit? I mean, I'm the one who did all the work. It's not like I just sat around praying and not doing anything. I mean, all those hours, putting up with that obnoxious boss, learning new skills, making all those sales in a tough economy - whatever. That's was me out there, folks. Don't I get any credit?
Hold on. You're making some good points. And you know what, most people would probably say, sure, you deserve credit. You worked hard; now enjoy your reward.
It's like when all those success coaches, personal development gurus and the rest, they all say you should "reward" yourself - even if you only achieve some little objective on the way to achieving even bigger goals. That's right, you deserve it.
What'll it be? A Martini? Some time off? Some personal time just to yourself - no one else allowed in? C'mon, it's your just reward for a job well-done.
Yep, that's what most people would probably say.
But we Catholics aren't "most people." We Catholic men at work are, well, Catholic first.
Listen. All this reward stuff can go right to your head. You focus on your reward, you focus on you. That's where things get hairy...even dangerous.
You start seeing success and start taking credit for it, and worrying about making sure you get your reward and there you go: you'll start focusing more on yourself. And, by the nature of things, you'll start focusing less on God.
What? You won't? C'mon. There are only so many hours in the day. The more time you spend on "you," the less you have for God. So, yes, you can easily start making yourself a god when you get carried away with how much you deserve credit.
(Hey, maybe that's what happened to Lucifer way back when. He was doing so well as an angel - whatever it was that angels were doing then - and he wanted credit. He wanted more of the pie. Eventually, he figured he should just be like God too.)
But you're not going to let that happen. You're going to wake up and realize that taking credit for a job well done is simply a matter of justice. Focus on "justice" not reward.
If the job you did deserves a raise, or a bonus, or whatever, that's a matter of justice.
So by all means make sure you get credit; make sure justice is served.
Once justice is served, you just keep working hard, doing things the best you can.
So what about all the success stuff, all the personal development gurus and all that? I guess if you find some of that helpful in doing a better job, it's OK. Just don't let it get to your head. It'll just push you away from God.
Don't ever let being successful push you away from God.
As a matter of fact, in the bigger scheme of things, you really can't take credit for your success. I'll have more to say on this next time.
So let's say you start seeing success. Yes, even in this tough economy, you're one of the ones who are making out OK. Whether it's because you're in an industry that's doing well (are there any U.S. industries doing well these days?), or because you're lucky, or whatever. Now what?
Well, you've got a choice to make. You can either take all the credit - or give credit where credit is due: to God.
Yes, you'll give God credit. Of course. He's the One who deserves all the credit. But wait. What about me? Don't I get any credit? I mean, I'm the one who did all the work. It's not like I just sat around praying and not doing anything. I mean, all those hours, putting up with that obnoxious boss, learning new skills, making all those sales in a tough economy - whatever. That's was me out there, folks. Don't I get any credit?
Hold on. You're making some good points. And you know what, most people would probably say, sure, you deserve credit. You worked hard; now enjoy your reward.
It's like when all those success coaches, personal development gurus and the rest, they all say you should "reward" yourself - even if you only achieve some little objective on the way to achieving even bigger goals. That's right, you deserve it.
What'll it be? A Martini? Some time off? Some personal time just to yourself - no one else allowed in? C'mon, it's your just reward for a job well-done.
Yep, that's what most people would probably say.
But we Catholics aren't "most people." We Catholic men at work are, well, Catholic first.
Listen. All this reward stuff can go right to your head. You focus on your reward, you focus on you. That's where things get hairy...even dangerous.
You start seeing success and start taking credit for it, and worrying about making sure you get your reward and there you go: you'll start focusing more on yourself. And, by the nature of things, you'll start focusing less on God.
What? You won't? C'mon. There are only so many hours in the day. The more time you spend on "you," the less you have for God. So, yes, you can easily start making yourself a god when you get carried away with how much you deserve credit.
(Hey, maybe that's what happened to Lucifer way back when. He was doing so well as an angel - whatever it was that angels were doing then - and he wanted credit. He wanted more of the pie. Eventually, he figured he should just be like God too.)
But you're not going to let that happen. You're going to wake up and realize that taking credit for a job well done is simply a matter of justice. Focus on "justice" not reward.
If the job you did deserves a raise, or a bonus, or whatever, that's a matter of justice.
So by all means make sure you get credit; make sure justice is served.
Once justice is served, you just keep working hard, doing things the best you can.
So what about all the success stuff, all the personal development gurus and all that? I guess if you find some of that helpful in doing a better job, it's OK. Just don't let it get to your head. It'll just push you away from God.
Don't ever let being successful push you away from God.
As a matter of fact, in the bigger scheme of things, you really can't take credit for your success. I'll have more to say on this next time.
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