Finishing Well

I have just been reading a book written by the late Bob Buford entitled Finishing Well.  The main thrust of the book is the difference between success and significance. If we read the Word of God in Matthew 6:33 (NKJV), it says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

When someone is young they are concerned about making a success of their lives, for example, they want to get well-qualified, achieve in the sporting arena, business sector or even in ministry. They want to accrue a large amount of finance, purchase a lot of material things - fame is also a very important factor in young people. They want to be well established. But when they become older, success is no longer of great interest to them - They now want more to be significant in their lifestyle, for example doing things that will benefit other people and seeking to spend more time in God’s Holy Word.

A beautiful illustration from this book was a group of greyhounds at a race chasing a plastic hare. Halfway around the racetrack, the machinery breaks down and the hare comes to a standstill. Once the greyhounds catch up with the hare they don’t know what to do with it, they just run around it because it is not alive at all, it’s only plastic. So often in life, we find out, only in our senior years that in fact, we have been chasing the wind - we have been chasing the wrong things. That’s exactly what the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, the son of David, said in Ecclesiastes: "Vanity vanity, it’s like chasing the wind."

I want to encourage you today to start becoming more significant in society and spend less time trying to be successful. When you do, the peace of God which passes all understanding will be your portion.

Jesus bless you,
Angus and Jill Buchan