Skip to main content

But Does It Even Matter?

 


"A little consideration, a little thought for others, 
makes all the difference." ~ Eeyore

Liars. Deceivers. Murderers. Prostitutes. Cowards. Persecutors. Drunks. Abused.  Adulterers.  The daily headlines?  Nope - just a list of the type of people God chooses to use to accomplish great things for His kingdom.  Their personality tests would definitely reveal insecurity, fear, impulsivity, and feelings of incompetence and doubt.  


Sometimes do you think what you do doesn't matter, or it never will?  Yea, me too.  But think for a minute back to people that have impacted your life positively, either through an encouraging word or a kind action.  

Maybe a Sunday school teacher or a regular school teacher noticed something about you?  Did a neighbor drop off a bit of food during a challenging time?  How about a coach encouraging you or expecting more from you because you had talent?  A boss that knew you could handle more responsibility that would enhance your skill set?  A sacrificial donation to someone in need?

But think deeper than that - it's not just the big influences.  Smaller interactions we have throughout the day - a parent who is endlessly using sometimes very challenging scenarios to build character into a child but feeling like it's in vain- are they even listening?  Or performing duties at our job but doing it with a smile, going the extra mile to make people feel special and not like they are a burden.  But does anyone even see?

The teacher who spends hours preparing plans to help children understand content and enjoy the learning, but gets no thanks.  But does it even matter?


The stay-at-home mom who has sacrificed her career and spends countless hours cooking, cleaning, shuttling- but is it worth it?


And now zoom the camera in to get an even closer view of daily life...how about the really small interactions?  A wave of thanks to the plow driver or someone who let you in their lane, holding the door for another, lending an arm to an elderly person struggling with a curb, a text letting someone you know you're thinking of them - all seemingly insignificant actions but are small bolts of compassion that build a person up.  Do those tiny things matter?

The ONLY one who we should even care about whether it matters or not is our Heavenly Father.  And what does He say?

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord
rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance
as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ." Col 3:23-24

"Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything,
will reward you."  Matthew 6:4

"For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me
a drink.  I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. I was
naked and you gave Me clothing.  I was sick, and you cared for Me.  I
was in prison, and you visited Me."  Matt 25:35-36

When we don't achieve what this world deems successful, we can listen to the lies of the devil and label ourselves 'insignificant'.  But Jesus died on the cross for each one of us, and didn't say, "Now go and earn what I did for you to pay me back, and do it big."  

 He just said, 

"You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your
mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: 
Love your neighbor as yourself."  Matt 22:37-39






He sees us and knows our heart.  In all our imperfect ways we can be used by Him.  It just takes a willing heart.  

Because, Jesus says-

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers 
and sisters of Mine, you did for Me."  Matt 25:40


We matter to Him, what we do matters to Him.    

✙ Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for determining our worth by what You did for us.  Open our ears to hear Your voice, open our eyes to see how we can love others, and open our hearts to let your Spirit direct us.  Help us to love You with our whole being. Amen.

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Scattered or Scatter?

  "A puppy is the ultimate distraction" ~ Philip Rosenthal, TV writer Ever sit down to check your grocery list on your phone, then start downloading digital coupons, then go to Pinterest to check the recipe and start pinning for a half hour, but start looking up whether an ingredient is high in sugar or carbs, remember to log everything you've eaten for the day in your app and get depressed because you're already at your limit and it's only 10a.m., so think that maybe you'll go exercise to burn some cals and carbs so you can eat the rest of the day, realize you don't have any workout clothes clean so start a load of laundry, notice how dusty the wood floors are on the way to the laundry room so give that a quick dry mop, then figure why stop there so dust the furniture as well, catch a glance at the clock and realize you have 15 minutes before you have to leave, so frantically fix your hair and makeup, rushing out the door wondering what happened to the mo...
2 comments
Read more

How to Fight Back the Darkness

  Crosswalk image Nothing makes Satan weak in the knees more than when we are on our knees."   ~ Skip Heitzig, Pastor Death.  Killing.  Violence.  What do we do with such heavy hearts in such a dark time? With the knot in our throats and the pit in our stomachs that are weighing on our souls?  When we look around us, nothing on this broken earth can fill our void of sadness and despair.   So we look up to the One who created all things and who alone has the power to bring light and help: "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.   What does help look like?  When does it come?  How much will we get?  Anger, confusion, bitterness, hostility, helplessness and fear overcome us in different ways and at different times.  We want reasons- we ask, "Why, Lord, why?" We instinctively want a reckoning- someone to pay for the injustice that has happened....
2 comments
Read more

Christmas in July

  Google image "I will honor Christmas in my heart and try  to keep it all year." ~ Scrooge, A Christmas Carol 🌞Alright, alright - I hear you.  Please don't talk about Christmas while you are enjoying summer.  (But someone needs to hear this - there are only 157 days left.)  And you know what comes out  first- the school supplies, then one day later the autumn decor.  Then three days after that is Christmas everything.  And my happy meter spikes:)  I can already smell the pumpkin spice latte.☕ Now some may think I'm trying to throw shade on the whole summer experience. 😎 And you would be right.  I only endure summer because fall is just around the corner, and I am finally able to celebrate this time of year appropriately, without a start to school.   I will admit I love the poppies that are growing in my yard.  And of course the baby deer.  And the garden tomatoes and peaches.  OK, summer does have some redeemi...
1 comment
Read more