"Success" vs. SIGNIFICANCE

Bobby holds up two Emmy awards won in December 2018.

I am late on this but it’s still worth sharing.

On December 1, I was honored to win two Emmy awards in Orlando for my local news reporting. It was definitely cool. Those wins bring my total to five Emmys in five years.

The purpose of this blog is not to say, ‘LOOK AT WHAT I DID!’…

Not even a little bit.

What I want to share is the message I feel is best to take away from earning an honor like an Emmy:

Life is full of “successful” people. You might consider yourself successful… But, are you living a SIGNIFICANT life?

If you’re a parent, the answer is yes. If you’re a friend, the answer is yes. If you’re breathing, the answer is yes.

You ARE significant because God says you are. Ephesians 2:10 calls you “His masterpiece”. That means your significance according to God far outweighs your “successes” according to you.

People tend to think they become significant because of successes. That’s wrong. We see successes because of our significance.

My TV segment offers me a public platform to share good news with people. It’s an opportunity to broadcast how God is moving in our lives. I get to share the way joy fills our lives despite the depression that hovers over us like a rain cloud. Those stories that won Emmys were just a small part of a newscast that was predominantly negative. Yet, the pieces were significant because hopefully they shared a story that pointed our attention back to God.

An Emmy trophy is an award. It’s just a hunk of metal. Don't get me wrong. It’s REALLY COOL to have them. But, they are not my reward. The reward is the significance that comes from being able to share God’s influence in lives through television. The reward is seeing God make connections through me.

The reward is getting to play a supporting role in God’s production.

I wrote a book about joy and I hope people smile when they read it. I hope many people buy it, read it, then give it away. None of that will qualify it as “successful”, though. What will qualify the book as a success, in my eyes, is to see God change lives through its words and inspire people to look for ways to leave a significant mark on their neighbors.

That’s rewarding. That’s what I aim to do. I want to make a difference and point eyes to God. If we put God’s plans first, and allow Him to use us, our significance will grow.