“Some men’s lives are too great and noble to descend to the low level of being merely successful.” [UB 196:3:32]

Thought Adjuster: “There are two divergent definitions for the attainment of success: the human and the divine ones. The first one has much to do with the identification of material success and intellectual achievements. The high digits of one’s bank account or the telltale abbreviations adorning a given name are some of the criteria upon which some names gain entry to the who-is-who registry of human accomplishments, without taking into account spiritual excellence.

“The life of Jesus of Nazareth was “a life too great and noble to descend to the low level of being merely successful.”  Jesus’ primary focus was to grow a robust soul— weather-proof to the material ups and downs. Those fluctuations are some of the many agents that help build a noble soul. Lives devoid of challenges are not conducive to soul growth.

“Whenever you go through difficult times, you feel that your very survival is on the line. It may undoubtedly be so at the material level, but depending on the attitude you adopt during your tribulations, you may emerge as a spiritual victor or vanquished. Subject to similar circumstances, some grow in wisdom and character strength, while others give up prematurely under emotional duress, thus failing to rise to an occasion that could have turned out to be a catalyst for the activation of dormant superpowers.

“Jesus was not rich in material possessions, which did not affect adversely the way He viewed Himself. He was wealthy in spiritual achievements, and whoever encountered Him was struck by his regal and noble demeanor. People were in awe of His emotional self-control.  He succeeded where many failed and eagerly shared with all experiential tips for personal salvation.

“Where has life taken you?  How much have you learned and mastered?  Do not be deterred by initial failures.  Those are the dares handed out by destiny to help you grow in wisdom and spirit.  Jesus tackled them one by one, as they came up relentlessly.  Instead of complaining, He addressed them and mastered them—spiritually speaking.  His life was the most successful human life ever lived by divine standards.  He invites you to emulate His attitude when He says, “Follow Me!”  He is not asking the impossible of you; He made it possible.”