Where do you find success?
I heard a story recently about this farmer who had a beautiful farm; a spacious ranch house, large barn, well-planted fields, manicured yard, blooming flower gardens, a long tree-lined drive and decorative fences. A preacher, who was new to the area, was passing by and he pulled over to admire the farm. He waived at the hard working farmer. The preacher commented to the farmer, “God has really blessed you with a beautiful farm.” The farmer paused for a moment, glancing at the farm, and he said, “Yes, God certainly has blessed me… but you should have seen this farm when He had it all to himself.”
A lot of us go through our whole lives chasing after success, but never finding it. We constantly believe the grass is greener in somebody else’s life. We feel that others were just born with the goods or that they don’t have the problems we have or perhaps they are just lucky.
I don’t believe any of this. I believe God has gifted all of us with unique talents and abilities to succeed in life. But, it is up to us to cultivate excellence in these traits, so that we can serve others. Ultimately, that is why we are here…to serve each other.
In 1843, a man named Russell Conwell was born. After only a few weeks in attendance at Yale College, he joined Lincoln’s Army to fight in the Civil War. When he returned to civilian life, he studied hard and earned a law degree and became a licensed lawyer. He also developed his skills at writing and ended up working as a reporter for a couple of different newspapers in Boston. He even earned assignment to go on a round-the-world journey as a correspondent.
At age 36, Conwell was consulted about legally disposing of an old run-down church in nearby Lexington. With optimistic sympathy, he told the congregation that their church need not be sold, but could and should be rebuilt. One thing led to another and Conwell ended up leading the effort to rebuild the church. Not only that, but he left his law career to be ordained as the minister of the rebuilt church. Shortly, thereafter, he was approached by some young men in the church who wanted to pursue studies to go in the ministry, but they could not afford college. Russell began teaching them classes on his own during the evenings and he caught a vision of having a college for bright young students who were less fortunate, as far as income.
Russell went on the road with his vision and during his lifetime, he gave over 6000 speeches raising several million dollars. Thus, Temple University was born. His famous speech “Acres of Diamonds” soon made him America’s foremost public speaker. The Acres of Diamonds story comes from the trip Conwell took, while on his round-the-world assignment with the newspaper. In Africa, a guide told of a farmer, Ali Hafed, who was allured by the legends a local priest told of men who searched and found lands with acres of diamonds. The farmer was mystified by the appeal of growing instantly rich beyond a person’s wildest imagination. So, he sold his farm and went off on his pursuit of diamonds. His journey took him many miles across high mountains, sultry jungles and stifling deserts, into far off lands. He looked and looked, but never found the diamond laced fields he sought. His youth and money disappeared with the passing of time. He was far away from home and having lost everything, despondent, he took his life by throwing himself into a river and he drowned.
Meanwhile, back on Ali Hafed’s farm, the new owner had been walking by a stream that ran through the farm. He noticed a large glimmering stone in the water and he picked it up. The stone was interesting and beautiful, so he placed it on his mantle at the house. Later, a visitor noticed the stone and asked the farmer if he knew what it was. The farmer said that he just thought it was a pretty stone, perhaps a crystal of some type. The visitor informed the farmer that it was probably the largest diamond he had ever seen. The farmer couldn’t believe it. He took the visitor out to his stream, which was lined with many such stones. As the story goes, it turns out that Ali Hafed’s farm was sitting on the largest diamond mine in history and he never even knew it!
This story forever affected Russell Conwell. To some, this story was just another interesting tale. But, to Conwell this story had a very profound message. It said, “Your diamonds are not in far-away mountains or in distant seas; they are in your own back yard, if you will but dig for them.” Let me say that again, “Your diamonds are not in far-away mountains or in distant seas; they are in your own back yard, if you will but dig for them.”
Russell Conwell served as pastor for 43 years, he was a well known lecturer, he was author of 40 books, he wrote church hymns and college songs, and he founded Samaritan Hospital (now Temple University). Through his great vision and extraordinary efforts, his life can truly be described as a success.
Back to my original question, where do YOU find success? I contend that we each need to identify those areas where we are gifted. We need to work hard to be excellent in those areas, reading, studying, and training, in order to develop rewarding service to others. If we will but increase our service to others, the world can’t help but return rewards to us. This is the great law of sowing and reaping. We need to get busy working on each of our own fields.
And the next time you think the grass looks greener in someone else’s field, just remember, it is probably because their field is receiving better care.
