“There is a great difference between successfulness and fruitfulness. Success comes from strength, control, and respectability. A successful person has the energy to create something, to keep control over its development, and to make it available in large quantities. Success brings many rewards and often fame. Fruits, however, come from weakness and vulnerability. And fruits are unique. A child is the fruit conceived in vulnerability, community is the fruit born through shared brokenness, and intimacy is the fruit that grows through touching one another’s wounds. Let’s remind one another that what brings us true joy is not successfulness but fruitfulness” (Henri Nouwen).

If I look at my Bible right, I believe Jesus called us to bear fruit more than He called us to promote our brand or make loads of money. I see the difference as one in focus– do you want to make this life all about you or do you want to make others better? Do you want to earn a living or create a legacy?

I think it all depends on your definition of success. The key is what you do with what you’re given, i.e. the parable of the talents.

In the end, you can’t take your bank account with you. You can’t take the big house or the flashy cars or the expensive toys. All you can take with you are the lives of those you’ve impacted by patiently bearing fruits that lead to repentance and salvation. After all, you can’t tax a legacy.