Success or significance

Last night the first round of the 2025 NFL draft was watched by millions across the world. Despite the fact that this was the 90th time the draft occurred, spectators gathered to watch one of the highest levels of success an athlete can attain. Decked out in fancy suits and jewelry, childhood dreams became reality as players' names were read by the teams that selected them in the draft. Watching such an event draws fans and casual onlookers alike as players relish in their own success - and for good reason.

I was recently having a conversation with a current NFL front office executive. He was reminding me how rare it is for football players to reach the NFL. Annually there are over 1 million high school football players. Approximately 7.5% of those high school football players go on to play some form college football. Of this pool of ~77,000 college football players, at any one time, just over 16,000 are draft eligible (which is only 1.6% of that college player pool). And then only 259 players are drafted into the NFL each year. That is a tiny percentage of the draft-eligible NCAA pool. Said plainly, the odds of a high school athlete making it to the NFL is only 0.023%. Suffice it to say, it is extremely rare to make it to the NFL; and that level of success warrants a celebration.

Success is not just a good thing; true success is a God thing. In fact God not only desires our success but He shows us the path to get there saying in Joshua 1:8, "This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success" (AMP).

Success is a wonderful thing. Whether it's in respect to your profession, your relationships, your health or wealth, success excites just about everyone. But is there something greater? I think so - It's called significance. Where success is inward focused, significance is outward focused. John Maxwell once said, "Success is about us. Significance is about others." Respected leader Gerald Brooks says it this way: "Success is what you receive, significance is what you give." What I've observed is that not everyone who is successful is significant, but everyone who is significant is surely successful.

For a football player, a marker for success may be getting drafted, but significance means more. I came face to face with this in building a relationship with a dear friend of mine named Robert Golden. Robert is a former safety for the Pittsburg Steelers. By all accounts he was amidst a very successful career. Then, led by a desire to follow God's path for significance in his life, he walked away from a championship winning team to pursue launching the nation's first TK-8 public charter school. His school, Golden Charter Academy prepares underserved scholars to help people and the planet thrive. Now that's significant!

This past year I've been following another rising football star named TreVeyon Henderson of the Ohio State Buckeyes. TreVeyon was a highly sought after high school recruit who went on to accomplish many things on the football field. At some point he realized professional success did not lead him to being personally satisfied. Then he found his significance in Christ. And from this relationship things changed. His focus shifted from self to others. And this served as a key ingredient to his team winning a national championship this year! (Check out his story in the video below)

I've thought about this in my own personal life and faith journey. One example is found in the practice of fasting that I was recently reading about. In Matthew 9:14 "the disciples of John came to Jesus, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast [as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?” (AMP) Notice the words 'religious exercise.' Now don't get me wrong, fasting is a gift, and a practice I regularly participate in. But when I think about it, fasting mainly benefits me as I draw near to God, refine my focus etc. Meanwhile God speaks of an even more significant fast in Isaiah 58:6-7 saying:

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? (NIV)

Where a successful fast may have benefits, it's clear that the kind of fasting God desires is not for spiritual calisthenics. He desires a significant fast which focuses on helping others! Where success can at times be momentary and subjective with men, significance is lasting and objectively valued by God as it is rooted in loving others. I'll leave you with something to consider:

How would you define what significance looks like in your relationship with God, your husband or wife, your mother or father, your brother or sister, your son or daughter, your friends and your community? How would you define what significance looks like in your calling, vocation or career? And what can you do proactively to pursue significance in these areas? If you are like me, when it's all said and someone is speaking at my funeral, I would prefer that they not say I lived a successful life, but rather say I've lived a significant one. I'd love to hear how this thought is relevant for you today; or at some point how this thought after being put into action has helped you navigate your journey with others and with Jesus!

TreVeyon Hnderson video -