The best idea of what prosperity is that I have heard is stated by the late Adrian Rogers: The progressive realization of the will of God for one's life. He also noted that prosperity may or may not mean material wealth, e.g., Mother Teresa.

An idea closely related to this idea of prosperity is effectiveness. To be effective for longer than the span of one's own life, one must have a grasp of what really matters.

This idea was relayed recently when Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee announced his decision to run a "positive" campaign. I guess we will see whether he sticks to that decision.

Huckabee's argument for "going positive" included this statement, "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?"

Inherent in that thought is the idea of focusing on what really matters. What really matters is effectively influencing one's environment in a positive way by modeling the best behavior in one's self and motivating the best behavior in others.

There are those who believe that fear and intimidation are the best tools for motivating the best behavior in others. Fear and intimidation might elicit desired behavior but that behavior will not be one's best. Furthermore, the one who chooses to motivate others through fear and intimidation had better spend a lot of time looking over his own shoulder.

The method exampled for us by the supreme exampler is the method of grace. Grace is the only method of effectively modeling and motivating best behavior. And it might be argued that the person who will not respond positively to grace is not worth the effort it takes to attempt to motivate him to his best performance or behavior, or that the one who refuses to practice the method of grace is worth listening to.

The person who cannot or will not be motivated by grace will never understand what really matters.

Likewise, the person who does not graciously example his best performance or behavior does not understand what really matters either.

What is it that really matters? Graciously modeling the best behavior in one's self and graciously motivating the best behavior in others thereby.

Jack Rollins is the managing editor of the Daily Dunklin Democrat.