The Seed Blog: Focusing On What's Really Important

​Paul, while sitting in a prison in Rome, penned these words to the church he helped to establish in Philippi: Philippians 1:10. 
That is a powerful statement, which unfortunately many of us have a very blurry view of, at best. In the Truth Project (in Sunday School), we have spent weeks discerning between how society sees our world and how a true Christian sees our world. And one of the biggest problems in Christianity, is that we have intermixed our worldview with that of the secular world in so many areas, often, unaware of just how biased and tainted towards the world, our views have actually become. For example, according to nothing but the media and entertainment around us right now—advertisement strategies, tv sitcoms, cinema—what seems to be of utmost importance today?

​1) Sex: self-focused, indulgent, uninhibited sexual pleasure. 2) Physical body image for women and men—and looks overall. 3) Social image and status: what you have, who you hang with, how good you are in your field; how smart and successful you are (car you drive, clothes you wear). 4) independence and self-sufficiency—"I don't need you, I can take care of myself.” Based upon the way you live, the way you act, the way you spend money, and the things that excite and upset you, do any of these things seem to be overly important to you? 
When someone knows they are about to leave this world—knows their time, influence, and purpose will soon end—what seems to be of utmost importance then? Will they be as excited about all the affairs they've had? Will they be worried about how good their body looks? Will they wish they had more chances to watch porn? Will it matter how many fights they've won with their spouse or others, or how superior they could make themselves look? Will they want to show how independent they are, and how they don't need anyone else then? Will the number of ballgames or golf rounds won, be so major? Will they care what kind of car sits in the driveway, or what designer clothes hang in the closet? 
There are only a few things that will ever matter at the end of our days here—only a few things that are truly eternal—and those things are what our choices, lifestyles, and focuses should be based upon every day. They should not be side notes or add-ons when we have time or money left; they should not be things we half-heartedly do for peace of mind from the guilt. Those things are what we should be living for as our primary goals—what we should be seeing as treasured and important with every decision in our lives. Those things are where we should be drawing our self-purpose, joy, and contentment. 
Let's take a real, practical, thought-provoking look at some of those things that God, and our own souls within us, truly say are of utmost importance in life that we often disregard or miss. What does God say, are the only things which are eternal? Psalm 90:1-2: God Himself. Psalm 119:89; Matthew 24:35: God's Word.1 Corinthians 15:54: the souls of men. Based upon these things—God says are the only things important enough to be for, “all eternity”—ask yourself if you have the world's priorities in mind, or His—with the mindset in which you live life. 

1. What was the first thing eternal? God Himself. Does missing work and missing church carry the same weight on your importance meter? Does spending time talking with God, and trying to hear His will carry the same weight as spending time with the media, and trying to learn what's new and vogue? Or being so busy-bodied with sports, dance, and family activities that you don’t have time for Him? Luke 10:38-42. Does hurting God with your life choices matter as much as hurting friends or even family, when the two conflict? Do you spend more of your time, effort and money trying to do His will, or seeking things in this world? Do you look for Him and His gifts in the creation around you? Job 12:7-10. Do you live consciously thankful for the gifts you have received from Him? Do you look for and recognize His hand in the events around you? With these thoughts in your mind, answer the question again: "What seems to be of utmost importance to me today?
2. Now, let's look at the second thing that God says is eternal: His Word. How long have you been a Christian? Do you know the very Words that have come from the mind of God Himself, and will literally endure for all eternity? Do you want to know what the Word says about how you live, or are you more interested in what society says is acceptable? Are you taking the Word as a solid, unquestionable pattern for your marriage, divorce, child raising, lifestyle choices, money usage? Psalm 119:33-39. Do you use the Word to make life decisions, or do you blindly choose what youwant, and become angry or doubtful of God when things fail? With these thoughts in your mind, answer the question again: “What seems to be of utmost importance to me today?"
3. Now, let's look at the third thing that God says is eternal: the souls of men. Do you truly care for angry, lost, hurt people around you, or are they a bother? Right now, are there broken and misguided people touching your life daily, that you haven't given a second thought to helping or leading them out of their pit of despair? Is it more important to win an argument with your spouse, and to always have your own way, than to guard their feelings and build your relationship with them? Do you genuinely want to help and love the people in this building around you, or are they simply people you endure a couple of times a week? Do you care for your family members intensely, and pretty much let the rest of God's people fend for themselves, because they are not your responsibility? 1 John 3:16-19. Do you spend all of your money on more stuff, on wants, and pleasures, while there are truly helpless people that you have the power and blessing to help (like those mentioned today), and you choose to look the other way to preserve your comfort? As they suffer daily, while we enjoy excess, because we feel we deserve it, and no one else is doing anything. [And that's based on who's idea of what's important?] Do you realize that 1 in every 3 people in this world live on less than $2 a day? [The majority of Americans are part of the global high-income population…Yet, with all these riches, we stand as a world leader in things such as: incarcerations, teen pregnancy, overweightand mental health. We are in the top percentage of, "Richest people on the planet". Matthew 19:23-26. We are always so quick to see how having too much affects other people. Do you ever stop to honestly question if it has affected you, based upon what is really important in life? 

We aren't looking at these things to make you feel guilty or lost, but to make each one of us come to grips with what is building our very foundation for how we live, and why we act as we do; to make us stop and ask ourselves with every question, temptation, decision, argument, and reaction. What is really important in this situation eternally to teach each of us to live our lives, find our joy, and seek our daily purpose—not in what the world is screaming should be important, but in the real truths of God—because this really is the key to joyful living now, and the key to everything that really matters on that last day before we step into eternity. Life is too short and way too precious a gift to waste on what a misled, unhappy, self-destructive world says is important and right. We see the path of hopelessness the world leads people down—stop being a mindless sheep and break the mold. Ask yourself everyday: “What really matters eternally?” Decide what things in your life have been dictated and lead by what's important to the world and take charge today. 
you decide what’s important! for His Kingdom’s sake!