Success At What Price?

I just heard it said that Stephen Foster who wrote the song “Oh, Susanna” was paid all of $100.00 for his work.  The song is part of our history . . . who doesn’t know the song and like it or not successfully hum it . . . maybe right now as you read this?  Gosh, it seemed pitiful to have a man who wrote something generations know by heart to have earned so little.  My instant reaction was that he should surely have been more successful.

Then, I reconsidered.  Know what?   This time the song and its author gave me hope, joy, and encouragement.  We bloggers do not make money directly from our blogs, most of us, but if success is doing what the Lord calls us to do, our work through Him is successful.  Being His servant and saying yes comes with a price, but not $100.00.  The price was Jesus blood shed for us.  Riches of the sort that matter cannot pay my mortgage or inflate my bank account.  They can draw others to Christ if I truly listen and obey.  How do you define success?