As Paul sat in his prison cell, I wonder if he had regrets. “Have I done any good? Have I wasted all my talents? Will there be any lasting fruit?” As Peter prepared to hang on a cross, I wonder if he evaluated his life as a success or a failure.
God does not view things the way we do. We look at a work of art and say, “That man used his talent in a wonderful way! He created something that will last!” But God says lasting fruit can only come one way – through His Son. These are Jesus’ words: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
The world looked at the well-educated Paul in prison and said, “What wasted talent!” But God saw one who used his talent in the wisest of ways. The world did not call Peter a success. But the Lord was proud of the fisherman who abandoned all to become a disciple of the Master. The secret of bearing lasting fruit will never be found in the world’s wisdom, but only in God’s. And Jesus is the wisdom of God.
As Jesus sees men strive to achieve and build on earth, He offers an invitation that holds the secret for true success: “Come to Me.” If we humbly come and honestly pray, “Lord, take all I am and all I have and bring forth fruit that will please the Father”… He will do it.
“Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him…” Philippians 3:7-9