Focus on What is Important
September 10, 2023
What is most important in your life?
What came to your mind? Your career? Your family? World peace? Your children? Leaving your positive mark on society? Your business?
How about Jesus? For me, when I heard those words this morning (sitting in the Good News Church first service), my mind created a list like words from Jillian’s history and science lesson she has to look up:
Jesus
Family
Showing Jesus to others.
Whatever is the most important in your life directs everything else in your life.
Don’t believe that? Seriously. Consider it objectively. Whatever you consider most important shapes and directs your life to achieve each step in your life to honor that important thing.
My mind reflected back to decisions I made as a young person: a lot of decisions as even a preteen are life-shaping.
I chose to keep myself pure for my future husband.
I chose to honor my parents and respect them even if I disagreed.
I chose to better myself so I could love my brothers and sisters better.
Each of these I decided to do because I loved Jesus. I saw it as my honor to be able to shine Jesus’ light reflected through my life. I wanted my life to be lived in worship to Jesus. I wanted people to see that I was different and ask why. The “preteen/teen” choice that led to me having the most conversations with other teenagers was my choice to love Jesus by honoring His desire for my sexuality. It was counter-popular-culture to stay sexually pure (yes, as my kids can’t understand, I am young enough that I was laughed at for being a virgin after 18). I wore a birthstone ring my Daddy gave me on my ring finger and told others it was to remind me that I belonged to Jesus first; He wanted me to stay pure for my future husband. So many people laughed. A few asked deeper questions and I would get to share about Jesus and how He loved me first and my joy was to honor Him with all of my life.
Later, in the business world, I was faced with repeated pressure to falsify information on forms to cut financial corners. I held my ground and honored God. When I was told I could choose to either “serve the company” or there wouldn’t be any more hours for me. I actually told my boss that because I loved Jesus, I couldn’t lie. The hours available to me dropped to where I would spend more time driving to the office than working; that would have made it a financial burden to work rather than an income. I was unable to stay. I often wonder if that choice did any forever good (did my decision or words help anyone see Jesus?); but would I change my decision? No. I choose to honor Jesus’ commandments because I love Him. I get to honor Jesus because He first loved me.
I pray my children discover that it is an honor and privilege to love Jesus. We are loved by Him from the foundations of the world. Even while we were yet sinners, He loved each of us so much that He died for our sins and rose to conquer sin and death! Because of that, we have the honor of choosing to love Jesus and serve Him with our obedience.
I looked at little Laud sleeping in my lap and smiled. I choose to look at every part of loving my babies as a privilege and honor! I wonder at how blessed I am that God would allow me to raise one of His children! (Okay, 8 of His children so far) Still, each one is specially loved and was created piece by carefully knit piece by God as they were formed inside me. God has gifted me the honor of being their mother; one at a time and altogether. I am humbled, awed, and enthralled by the enormous blessing each child is. I thank God for them when I think of them.
Thank you, Jesus, for loving me! Thank you, Jesus, that I get to love You! Thank you that I get to love my children! Keep reminding me of how I should always choose to love You first.
Type at you next time,
~Nancy Tart