The Secret Key to Success

There is something innate in the Puritan worldview that has been critical to success for a long time in America’s history, regardless of the endeavor. This secret key to success is grounded in the Puritans’ God-centered worldview. In other words, if you fully subscribe to what the Bible teaches, success logically flows from that.

Many pagans utilize this principle but for ulterior motives. What am I talking about?

The Grounding Principle

First the grounding principle. The Puritans believed that the God of the Word was also the God of the world (Gen 1:1). David says in Psalm 24:1

The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.

Therefore, the Puritans believed that we should study both the Bible and nature because all truth is His truth. I was listening to a lecture by Stephen Nichols the other day, and he pointed out that the early American Puritans were “people of two books: the Bible and nature.” They thirsted to know the truth because they believed it led to a grander vision of God. Nichols pointed out that this thirst for God’s truth led the American Puritans to establish Harvard College in 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Seeing how far Harvard has fallen from the original Puritan ideal is maddingly stunning! But I digress. 

The grounding principle is, therefore, a hunger and thirst to know God’s truth as revealed in His Word and creation so that we might better honor Him.

The Secret Key

The secret key to success that flows from the grounding principle is an insatiable curiosity. Curiosity to understand God’s Word. Curiosity to understand history. Curiosity to understand people. Curiosity to understand science. Curiosity to understand business. Or law. Or economics. Or Politics. Or Farming. Or a thousand other things in between. Successful people are curious and never stop learning and studying. They are always diving deeper. Always on the road to discovery. Always pressing forward to a greater understanding. They are not content with going with the flow of humanity and engaging in groupthink. Nor are they interested in simply believing the latest cultural narrative. They are curious to get to the bottom of things. To the foundations of truth as God has revealed it. 

I remember when Tommy Nelson came and spoke at Southern Seminary when I was a student. One piece of advice he had for all the ministers was: “Never stop learning. Always have a book waiting for you at home.” I’ve never forgotten that. His point was that the pastor should be growing and constantly learning. Always curious. I think that, especially as a preacher, if you are interested in God’s truth, you will be interesting to listen to. As my friend H. B. Charles Jr. said, “An effective preacher is always a growing preacher.” By that, he meant we should grow in godliness and our knowledge of the truth. 

Applying the Secret Key 

For Christians, the principle is very simple. Find something you are interested in and begin exploring. It could be something involving your profession, a hobby, or something fascinating. But begin studying. Go as far as you can. Read as much as you can. Talk to as many experts as you can. Allow your curiosity to drive you deeper into the truth. Never just take someone’s word that something is true; make sure it is settled in your own convictions. For me, the past twenty years have led me to study all sixty-six books of the Bible, systematic theology, church history, biblical theology, preaching, American history, military history, leadership, and many other avenues of interest.

It is crucial in this curious quest for truth to not allow it to puff you up but rather to continue to humble yourself before the awesomeness of the Almighty God (1 Cor 8:10). Since all truth in the cosmos ultimately points back to its Author, allow the truth of what you have discovered to lead to doxology. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory, forever and ever. Amen” (Rom 11:36). If you do this on repeat: learn and then give glory to Him, regardless of the field you are in, you will be successful. And you will be successful for Christ’s glory.