Achievement by the Right Measure

Writing is a journey, not a destination. When we get started on the writing road, we mistake milestones for destinations. It’s easy to think there’ll be a time when we’ve arrived. Truthfully, that never happens. Each achievement is just a gateway to the next part of our writing journey. — Edie Melson

Achievement is often measured by comparison. A baby achieves something when he takes his first step, because he has progressed beyond crawling. Students receive grades based upon their work meeting a certain standard. Athletes compete to see who can run the fastest or jump the highest. Comparison is useful when it helps us recognize progress. The problem begins when comparison with others becomes our primary source of self-worth.

The Problem with Comparing Ourselves

People often compare themselves to someone doing worse. A struggling writer may feel successful because he writes more often than his neighbor. An author may feel accomplished because her book sold more copies than someone else’s. Such comparisons create an illusion of success that falls apart against those who are doing much better. Imagine standing at the base of a mountain. If you compare yourself to someone still in the valley, you might feel quite accomplished. But if your destination is the summit, looking backward tells you very little about how far you still have to go. The Bible warns against self-evaluation based on human standards (2 Corinthians 10:12).

The Church That Thought It Was Winning

One of Scripture’s most sobering passages concerns the church of Laodicea. Christians there viewed themselves as rich, prosperous, and in need of nothing. Yet God’s assessment was dramatically different. He called them spiritually poor, blind, and naked. Their problem wasn’t lack of effort. They were using the wrong scorecard. We can fall into the same trap, assuming publication equals success. We may think bestseller lists, awards, or praise from readers are the ultimate goals. Yet it’s possible to gain all those things while neglecting God’s purpose. A carpenter judges a ruler by whether it measures accurately, not by how attractive it is. Likewise, God evaluates our lives according to his standards, not necessarily our perception of success. The question shouldn’t be: “Am I doing better than others?” We should be asking, “Am I pleasing the Lord with what I write?”

Progress Without Perfection

We can easily become discouraged when we see how far we still have to go. Others are disheartened by how little progress has been made. God calls us to live between these extremes. Think of a gardener tending a fruit tree. He celebrates each season’s growth, yet he continues watering, pruning, and caring for the tree because more growth is possible. The apostle Paul demonstrated this balance. He planted churches, wrote letters, endured persecution, and influenced many people. Yet he pressed on, seeing himself as imperfect, with a long way to go. I’ve not yet reached the closeness Jesus enjoyed with the Father while he walked on Earth, but I’m headed in that direction. My speech and writing aren’t perfect, so I keep pressing forward to become who God wants me to be, to fulfill the purpose he has for my work. — Philippians 3:12 Scripture for Writers We should be grateful for our progress, small as it might seem to be. Celebrate finishing a chapter. Celebrate learning a new skill. Celebrate the courage to submit a manuscript. But never assume the journey is finished. Every draft can improve. Every story can deepen. Every writer can grow. Most importantly, every believer can become more like Christ.

A Race, but Not the Typical Trophy

Paul frequently compared the Christian life to a race. Unlike a sprint, a marathon is won by faithful endurance. Writers often imagine success as a destination. “When I get published...” “When I sell a thousand books...” “When I become well known...” Yet those milestones aren’t the finish line, so they can’t bring lasting satisfaction. With God, achievement isn’t a trophy for all to admire. It’s faithfully taking the next step God has for us. Our next step may be to grow an idea, outline a plot, or write just one more chapter. We finish an article. We write a blog post. Or maybe our next step is finishing that first draft. Always learning the craft, we may be mentoring young writers or may simply encourage others with our storytelling. God isn’t usually one to tell us where we’ll wind up. Why? He expects us to follow him. And that means taking the next step… and the next… and the next.

Writing for Eternity

Without God’s guidance, people can spend years climbing ladders that are leaning against the wrong wall. After accumulating awards, gaining celebrity status, and achieving financial success, we might have accomplished very little of eternal value. On the other hand, a little-known writer who faithfully shares God’s truth may influence generations to come. Consider the difference between fireworks and a lighthouse. Fireworks attract attention for a few moments and then disappear. A lighthouse quietly guides travelers, year after year. Many writers dream of being fireworks. God is calling us to become lighthouses. When we submit our ambitions to God’s purpose, achievement becomes less about personal glory and more about faithful stewardship.

Putting God’s Gifts to Work

Jesus said servants will give an account for what they had done with their gifts. The message is clear: We’re responsible for the effort as we follow the direction of the Holy Spirit. We simply use the talents we have. Then comes the truth that should provide a little relief: We’re not responsible for the results. God is the miracle worker who will take care of that, and we may never know how he took our few “loaves and fish” and fed a multitude. A violin locked in a closet creates no music. A seed left in a packet produces no harvest. A manuscript hidden on a hard drive changes no lives. God’s gifts were never intended for storage. They were intended for service. As we put God’s gifts to work, we’ll find that he’ll supply more as needed.

The Evaluation That Matters

One day, every earthly scorecard will disappear. Book sales will no longer matter. Awards will no longer matter. Follower counts will no longer matter. Only God’s evaluation will remain. As we keep writing, telling our stories, and striving to do what is most pleasing to the Lord, we are sure to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). God won’t be saying, “Well done, famous servant,” or “Well done, wealthy servant.” After we have pressed on, using whatever talents we hae, comparisons with others will be irrelevant. The world’s scorecards measure achievement by comparison, recognition, and accomplishment. God’s scorecard measures achievement by faithfulness, obedience, and Christlike growth. The greatest success we can achieve isn’t becoming rich and famous. It’s becoming the writer God called us to be, faithfully using our gifts for his Kingdom.

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