What’s Most Important to You?

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 NLT)

When considering the question of importance, some have suggested we consider what we’d be willing to run into a burning building to rescue. Certainly family, friends, pets, pictures, heirlooms, and other material items that can’t be replaced. But do those things really speak to us in terms of what’s MOST valuable to us?

Perhaps the real question becomes: “For what are you willing to trade your soul?” Jesus asked the question in Matthew 16:26: “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” The implied answer is, of course, “No!” In Jesus’ mind there’s absolutely nothing more valuable to a person than that part of us that will live forever.

However, the plot thickens when every second of every day someone sells their soul to the devil for a trinket this world offers. Sin is rampant in our world in ways that our ancestors literally couldn’t have imagined. The inhumane and vile ways we treat each other as adults is beyond comprehension, but when pre-born babies are murdered in order that their tiny organs can be harvested, and children are sold and violated in ways unimaginable not that many years ago, that’s beyond evil.

Some reject Christianity because they can’t conceive why God would allow anyone to go to hell, yet that’s exactly the “sentence” God the Father pronounced on His only perfect, sinless, Son so that those who place their trust in Him wouldn’t have to go to there. You are most important on God’s agenda, so much so that He was willing to trade the life of His Son for your life and mine. Why would God do that?

Because He knew that we could never in eternity ever pay the penalty for our own sin. Every day many, if not most people in our spheres of influence choose slavery to sin over forgiveness and new life in Christ. As a Jesus follower for more than 60 years my heart’s cry is “WHY?” Why would anyone in their right mind choose eternal damnation over forgiveness and newness of life? It makes no sense to me.

The only conclusion to which I can come is either ignorance, misinformation, or blatant rebellion – they simply don’t want to know the Truth. Satan cannot tell the truth, but he can lie in such a way that it sounds plausible, so much so, everyone from Eve and Adam to you and me have believed his lies to the detriment, not only of our own lives, but those whose lives matter the most to us.  

Kirk Cameron wrote: “There is nothing more important than your eternal salvation.” And when we read that it makes perfect sense, until we get distracted by the glitter and glamor of this world. Fellow Jesus followers, can we become an “army of one” for our families, neighbors, co-workers, classmates and others in our spheres of influence? Can we allow prayer to become our first language, lifting to our loving Father the needs of those we love the most.

You’d likely risk your life to enter a burning building to save a loved one, so why not enter the throne room of your heavenly Father on behalf or your parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, neighbors, friends – near and far – and anyone else who comes to mind. Call, text, write, visit, invite them for a meal or take them out – whatever it takes to get their ear.

Life is too short, and heaven and hell are too real to waste time on your phone or tablet when you could be engaged in Kingdom work. Just imagine if we would pray as long as we spend time on our phones or other mobile devices each day? What’s REALLY most important to you? If it’s Jesus then let’s let the things that break His heart break ours!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊