Success @ Work

I just got back from the SF Giants World Series victory parade. What a great experience! Vast crowds lining Market Street got to watch this unlikely group of players who conquered the world (well America anyway) in the baseball classic. Success excites everyone. But what is it?

Well, you might say, it is winning of course! The Giants proved that. Closing the deal, beating the analyst forecasts, getting the top sales rating, achieving the promotion. Our culture craves success, and our culture defines what its idea of success is. In a competitive culture, success is defined by beating the opposition. I win only if you lose. Obviously it isn’t quite that crass in the business world – you and I can both be successful provided we meet or exceed our goals. But if our goals are mutually exclusive, then one of us will succeed and one will not.

What is Biblical success though, and how does it translate into the workplace? The first reference I find is in Genesis 24 when Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac. Success is prayed for or talked about five times in that chapter. It represents completion of a God-ordained task. When Rebekah is found as a bride for Isaac, Abraham’s servant has been successful. There is no particular wealth in view here, no public acclaim, no victory parades. And yet … through this successful trip, God has carried out the next stage of His covenant promises to Abraham, in establishing a nation for Himself through Abraham’s progeny.

For us in business, the definition of success does include the meeting of business goals. But if the business goals are not consistent with God’s plans for us and for our business, or if they are not in line with the intentions God has for us in the workplace, we will not be successful, no matter what our colleagues tell us.

Which defines success for you? Is it the temporary adulation of your colleagues (because you know they’ll forget by tomorrow)? Is it the fatter paycheck at the end of the month or year? Or is it even having everyone tell you that you’ve made a difference in your community? Or is it not really about what other people think at all? Which would you prefer – a victory parade for an afternoon, or hearing our God say “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23)?

As I write, the victory celebrations are still going on at San Francisco’s Civic Center. But this time next year, unless they can do it again, most of us won’t be Giants fans any more and the faithful will be complaining as they always do. Meantime, God’s faithfulness and acceptance will continue forever.