PRINCIPLES OF LIFE

Success with simple life:

We live in a world in which being successful is everything. Success is measured by power, popularity, control, achievement, and winning. Having more and being more is success. The businessman measured success by the accumulation of wealth and by living a plush life. He held a Harvard PHD, millions of dollars, and status as a powerful businessman. "The person with the most toys wins" is a fitting motto.

The businessman encouraged the fisherman to accumulate "toys," too. "Buy a bigger boat," then "buy several boats," and eventually buy a "fleet of fishing boats." The businessman claimed all this would lead to power and status when "you would sell directly to the processor and eventually open your own cannery." As his own boss, the businessman ventured the Mexican would amass "control" and more wealth through an "expanding enterprise."

Patiently the fisherman listened and then asked an intelligent question, "how long will this all take?" To which the businessman replied, "15-20 years." There’s danger in waiting to live the life that you really want to live. Like the businessman, we can easily spend forty years climbing to the top of the financial ladder only to find it is leaning against the wrong wall. We didn’t address life issues about faith, contribution, success, suffering, or love.
Possessions and wealth are not enough. While comforting, wealth cannot fulfill.
In my opinion, "Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one. Wealth may momentarily help us to escape emptiness, it cannot cure it. If you have faith, you might call it God’s
perspective.

Our contribution in making a difference stems from a commitment to grow in faith. Our concern is with what has ultimate, unconditional, and eternal significance—God and His will. This is only possible with God’s grace to lead us to where we cannot go ourselves.

Action Items Going Forward

Take some time to sit down and evaluate the following, applying the two principles above to:
• Relationships (with Allah, with parents, siblings, spouses, children, friends, etc)
• Work / School (study habits)
• Community Service / Religious Work
• Any other area of life that just seems to complicated right now