What Does Success Really Look Like?
What comes to mind when you see someone living "the good life"?
The luxury car in the driveway? The perfect vacation photos flooding your social media feed? The designer accessories that scream "I've made it"?
In our world of curated highlight reels and lifestyle influencers, it's never been easier to believe that success equals accumulation. We scroll past images of wealth and whisper to ourselves, "My life would be so much better if only I had more time... if only I had more talent... if only I had more money."
But what if our idea of "the greatest life" is backwards?
A Different Definition of Success
Nearly two thousand years ago, the Apostle Paul wrote something revolutionary to his friend Timothy. Back then, just like today, people believed wealth brought status and security. But Paul shared a completely different idea of what it means to live well:
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
— 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Read that last phrase again: "the life that is truly life."
Paul isn't talking about settling for less or living with artificial restrictions. He's pointing to something more abundant, more meaningful, more satisfying than anything our culture can offer.
The Generosity Revolution
Here's what Paul reveals that turns our understanding upside down: True success isn't about what we can amass for ourselves; it's about what we can give.
This isn't just feel-good philosophy. Around the world, we're witnessing communities transformed by this biblical principle. Churches that once struggled with scarcity are now building homes for the disabled, funding schools, supporting one another through medical crises, and creating sustainable businesses — not through external charity or foreign aid, but through the generosity of their own people, who have discovered what Paul was teaching Timothy.
Your Generosity Story Starts Here
Over the next four posts, we'll explore this new way of living together, with each post focusing on a specific aspect of biblical stewardship that is making a real difference in communities in Tanzania, Costa Rica, Burundi, and Zambia.
You'll discover: 1) Where your real security comes from (spoiler: it's not your bank account); 2) What it means to be truly "rich"; 3) The investment portfolio that never fails; and 4) How to step into "the life that is truly life."
But before we continue this journey, pause and ask yourself this question:
What would change if I truly believed all I have comes from God?
Take your time with this question. Let it stay with you today and see what thoughts or feelings arise. Your answer could be the beginning of a life more meaningful and rich than you imagined.
This marks the first day of our 5-part journey into biblical stewardship. In the next post, we'll discover why the thing we trust most for security might actually be the most uncertain thing of all. Each day, we'll build on this foundation to see the full picture of biblical success.
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About This Series
This 5-part exploration of 1 Timothy 6:17-19 reveals how Biblical stewardship principles are creating sustainable transformation in communities through Think Eight:Seven's partnerships with local leaders. Each part in the series builds on the last to provide a practical roadmap for understanding and applying stewardship.