Breaking News

 

I don't know about you, but to me it just seems like the news events of our world almost overcomes us at times. We can't seem to get by even a few hours without being brought up to date (IE: "Breaking News!") on what's happening with the oil spill and its surrounding stories; the latest dire economic situation; the latest poll on upcoming elections, or the twists and turns of the various on-going wars.

Not to mention every whimper, cry and shenanigan/s of Lindsay Lohan. Perhaps I just don't realize, or maybe I just don't appreciate the up-to-the minute news releases about the latest happening in her life. I only hope that I'm not the only one who fails to grasp the importance of this spoiled brat's life and the events taking place in it. Obviously the media thinks she's important and that we must be apprized of each scintillating tidbit relating to whatever disgusting circumstance she's currently involved in.

In light of all these "things" we're bombarded with in the news media, and I'm not intimating that some of these "things" aren't important and isn't warranting of our attention (with the exception of Lindsay), I think it's about time, again, that we refocus on what "things" ARE of real importance. To put "things" in perspective, if you will. I'm going to try and do this by reminding you of two views.

First, and foremost, is God's view. I think we can boil it down to it's lowest, common denominator by citing the view He gives us in Matt. 6:33 where He says "seek Me first." IE: He's saying "this is your number one priority in life." That when you do so, the necessary "things" of life will be provided you.

This leads us to the second view and it's a short essay written by Michael Josephson and it's one that I quoted to you several years ago, but I think that it is appropriate to use at any and all times to refresh our minds and provide us an understanding of what really matters to our lives.

                                                WHAT WILL MATTER

            READY OR NOT, SOMEDAY IT ALL WILL COME TO AN END.

 

    THERE WILL BE NO MORE SUNRISES, NO MINUTES, HOURS OR DAYS.

 

            ALL THE THINGS YOU COLLECTED, WHETHER TREASURED

                    OR FORGOTTEN, WILL PASS TO SOMEONE ELSE.

 

        YOUR WEALTH, FAME AND TEMPORAL POWER  WILL SHRIVEL           

                                                TO IRRELEVANCE.

 

    IT WILL NOT MATTER WHAT YOU OWNED OR WHAT YOU WERE OWED.

 

    YOUR GRUDGES, RESENTMENTS, FRUSTRATIONS AND JEALOUSIES

                                    WILL FINALLY DISAPPEAR.

            SO, TOO, YOUR HOPES, AMBITIONS, PLANS, AND TO-DO                                                           LISTS WILL EXPIRE.

 

THE WINS AND LOSSES THAT ONCE SEEMED SO IMPORTANT WILL                                                           FADE AWAY.

 

IT WON'T MATTER WHERE YOU CAME FROM, OR ON WHAT SIDE

                    OF THE TRACKS YOU LIVED, AT THE END.

 

IT WON'T MATTER WHETHER YOU WERE BEAUTIFUL, OR BRILLIANT.

        EVEN YOUR GENDER AND SKIN COLOR WILL BE IRRELEVANT.

 

                                SO WHAT DOES MATTER?

 

HOW WILL THE VALUE OF YOUR DAYS BE MEASURED? WHAT WILL               MATTER IS NOT WHAT YOU BOUGHT, BUT WHAT YOU BUILT.

                    NOT WHAT YOU GOT, BUT WHAT YOU GAVE.

 

WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT YOUR SUCCESS, BUT YOUR SIGNIFICANCE.

 

                WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT WHAT YOU LEARNED,                                                           BUT WHAT YOU TAUGHT.

 

WHAT WILL MATTER IS EVERY ACT OF INTEGRITY, COMPASSION,

    COURAGE OR SACRIFICE THAT ENRICHED, EMPOWERED OR

        ENCOURAGED OTHERS TO EMULATE YOUR EXAMPLE.

 

        WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT YOUR COMPETENCE, BUT                                                               YOUR CHARACTER.

 

WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU KNOW, BUT

   HOW MANY WILL FEEL A LASTING LOSS WHEN YOU'RE GONE.

 

WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT YOUR MEMORIES, BUT THE MEMORIES

                        THAT LIVE IN THOSE WHO LOVED YOU.

 

    WHAT WILL MATTER IS HOW LONG YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED,

                                      BY WHOM AND FOR WHAT.

 

      LIVING A LIFE THAT MATTERS DOESN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.

            IT'S NOT A MATTER OF CIRCUMSTANCE BUT OF CHOICE.

 

                        CHOOSE TO LIVE A LIFE THAT MATTERS

 

Allow me to add a thought here: choosing to follow "view number one" and "seeking God first" is the precursor to "choosing a life that matters." Let me just emphasize it a bit more: if you don't "seek God first" then, in the long run, you can't really live a life that matters.

The Psalmist David provides us with a closing thought here in regards to our topic. In Psa. 39:4 he prays, "Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am." Mathematically speaking, if we don't "seek God first," when the "value of our days is measured," I'm afraid that they will fail to add up to a "life that mattered."

Ron Covey