Jesus Christ probably lived for thirty-three years. From a human point of view his life epitomized tragedy. Thirty-three short years of homelessness, persecution and betrayal led to a drawn-out, inhumane death. As he hung on a splintered crossbeam, bleeding and suffocating, they gambled for his garments and hurled insults at him. In his death, he was made out to be less than nothing, a failure, and a fake. Yet as a Christian, one must recognize that he had life more abundantly than any other human that has ever lived.

It is said that success is getting what one wants, but happiness is wanting what one gets. This God-man who was the Lord of our universe, then, did not attain success. Did he want this death? Adamantly, no. He prayed fervently that his Father would take it from him. Yet his life was so rich and so full that his words still ring true in the hearts of those who love him. Why?

From the amount of stress apparent in most lives today, one would think that the citizens of our world were in great need. People are 'careful and troubled about many things' (Luke 10:41). They wake up in the morning and begin to worry about all that they must accomplish before night. "Will I do well at my job?" they wonder. "Will my children be happy? Will my friends love me? Will my partner be satisfied with me? Will I let myself down?" With all these doubts and worries, is anyone actually happy?

Jesus' life was just the opposite. He woke up in the morning and went to be alone with his Father first thing. He probably spent some time in worship and in reflection on his Father's goodness. Likely, he gave thanks to God and asked for his Father's wisdom to get him through the day. Only then did he begin to take on the tasks of the day. But even then, did he worry? Not at all.

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow," Jesus said to the multitude in Matthew 7. "They toil not, neither do they spin. And yet, I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field…shall he not much more cloth you, O, ye of little faith?" And again he tells us, in chapter 10, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father…Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than sparrows." Jesus knew that everything he did was important to God the Father, and that he could not take one step without his Father watching. He lived this out by never worrying that things would go wrong. Instead, he placed it all into the hands of God and lived like a child, by faith.

A closer look at a fallen human life reveals another problem - resistance. Though most Christians know that God directs their paths and cares for all that they do, most of them have their own plans for success. Behind most lives is some driving force. Ambition drives men to college, from job to job, and into long hours of work away from their families. The desire for material possessions (by which many men measure their success) drives them to make as much money as possible. Many have an overwhelming desire to be loved that twists real love and perverts it into obsession, possession, and emotional slavery.

The common flaw behind these passions is not so obvious at first glance, yet by looking into Jesus' life we can see what made him different. He lived his life in total submission to his Father's will, not only because he felt it was his obligation, but also because he knew that this was the best way to live. The sowing of the pursuit of earthly things reaps only restlessness, but submission to God reaps happiness, joy, and unaccountable blessings. Though many of these blessings may not be visible in this world, there is nothing available in the world that compares to the satisfaction of the heart.

Though so many men consider the material possessions they have a direct measure of their success, the world and all it's goods actually are one of the greatest obstacles to happiness. God made the world and all that was in it, and when he was finished, he pronounced it all good. Nothing that is in this world is inherently evil - but most or all of it has been perverted into something detrimental to our well-being. This grieves our Father greatly. Wealth, for instance, is a gift given to men that they might be able to provide well for themselves and their families, and that they might help others around them. But some men hoard their wealth while others starve. Talents, too, are a gift from God which can be used properly both for personal enjoyment and the enjoyment of God. But many use their talents only to build themselves up, and often to put others down. All these things Solomon pronounced "Vanity!" in Ecclesiastes.

Jesus had nothing. He had no home, no possessions, no income, and probably little more than the shirt on his back. He never knew where he would get his next meal, or whether he would be dry when he went to sleep that night. "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests," he informed his disciples, "but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head." (Matthew 8:20) Because of this, Jesus lived daily within the tender mercies of his Father God. He learned to depend intimately on Him, to be grateful for all that he was given, and to appreciate that "The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof…" (Psalms 24:1) There was no meanness, no covetousness about him. He lived every minute to the full, happy beyond compare, and even in his death, the only regret he had was for those who killed him "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Jesus Christ lived the perfect life. He accepted each moment as it came to him and taught others to do the same. He kept himself in the will of his Father for the sheer joy of doing it, taking no thought of the earthly consequences. He lived joyfully and freely; he loved without restraint. His life serves as the greatest example for those who choose golden happiness in the will of their Father over the glitter of worldly success.