Success and Sacrifice

<p>During a summer study program, my son read a book about a boy who wanted to climb an Alpine mountain in Switzerland. Practicing for this goal occupied most of his time. When he finally set off for the summit, things didn&rsquo;t go as planned. Partway up the slope, a teammate became sick and the boy decided to stay behind to help instead of achieving his goal.</p> <p>In the classroom, my son&rsquo;s teacher asked, &ldquo;Was the main character a failure because he didn&rsquo;t climb the mountain?&rdquo; One student said, &ldquo;Yes, because it was in his DNA to fail.&rdquo; But another child disagreed. He reasoned that the boy was not a failure, because he gave up something important to help someone else.</p> <p>When we set aside our plans and care for others instead, we&rsquo;re acting like Jesus. Jesus sacrificed having a home, reliable income, and social acceptance to travel and share God&rsquo;s truth. Ultimately, He gave up His life to free us from sin and show us God&rsquo;s love (1 John 3:16).</p> <p>Earthly success is much different from success in God&rsquo;s eyes. He values the compassion that moves us to rescue disadvantaged and hurting people (v.17). He approves of decisions that protect people. With God&rsquo;s help, we can align our values with His and devote ourselves to loving Him and others, which is the most significant achievement there is.</p>