Search for Significance

This blog is dedicated to my friend, John Huang,

who posed questions and reflections in his blog that led to my reflection.

You can view John’s post at http://www.huangswhinings.com

Recently a friend of mine wrote in his blog about his personal search for significance.  He was considering the things in life that really matter.

Remembering The Dearly Departed

Many obituaries detail a list of what is perceived as the person’s worldly accomplishments.

The dearly departed had x many degrees and high powered jobs.  This person got someone to live with them for x number of years as a marriage partner and produced, either directly or indirectly, x more humans to add to the world.  Are these things really important?  Yes, they are, but only as helps to achieving what Jesus gave as the “Prime Directives “ for our time on earth.

Teacher of The Law Meets Master Teacher

A man who had already achieved being a teacher of The Law, was intent on doing the right things to be successful.  After listening to Jesus debating with some of his peers, the teacher pegged Jesus as a wise man, Who seemed to have good answers.  The teacher of The Law had an important question.

Let’s listen in on the conversation between the teacher of The Law and Jesus.

One of the teachers of the law came

and heard them debating.

Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer,

he asked Him,

“Of all The Commandments, 

which is the most important?”

“The most important one,”

answered Jesus,

“is this:  Hear O Israel:

The Lord our God,

The Lord is One.

Love The Lord your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your mind

and with all your strength.

The second is this:

‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

There is no Commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-31

God’s Prime Directive

When God looks at us, it would seem He doesn’t even note all the things we call accomplishments.  He looks at just the criteria Jesus spelled out that day:

1.  Do we recognize that God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit are One?

2.  Do we love The One with all our heart, soul, mind and strength?

3.  Do we love our neighbor (and He later defined neighbor to be everyone … not just those who live next door)?

4.  Do we love our neighbor as we love ourselves?  (You mean it is ok to love ourselves?  Yes, because of Who lives inside us!)

Qualifying for Heaven

If I get to the Pearly Gates and seek admission to Heaven, it might go like this.  

I arrive with a heavy backpack of verifications of earthly accomplishments.  I have a marriage license and a birth announcement of my child’s arrival.  I have a ton of pictures.  I have certificates, diplomas, newspaper and magazine clippings verifying my accomplishments.  I have books and magazines and scores of music compositions.  I have video tapes of some of my finest moments.

God asks, “What do you have to show for your time on earth?  Tell me how you fulfilled the goals of your assignment there.”

I might proudly say, “I was a wife and a mother.”

He would say, “How did you use that assignment to bring Glory to Me and meet objectives 1-4?”

I might say, “I have a college education.  I was a member and officer of various clubs in High School and College.”

He would say, “How did you use that assignment to bring Glory to Me and meet objectives 1-4?”

I might say, “I had a long nursing career.  I even helped start the first inpatient Hospice in the state of Kentucky.”

He would say, “How did you use that assignment to bring Glory to Me and meet objectives 1-4?”

I might say, “After being a nurse, I was a teacher.  I taught others how to be nurses.”

He would say, “How did you use that assignment to bring Glory to Me and meet objectives 1-4?”

Perhaps feeling a bit frustrated that all my answers were being met with the same questions, I might say,

“But, beyond that, I became an author.  I published in professional journals.  I wrote and published Sunday School lessons on line.  I taught Sunday School.  I wrote books.  I even wrote a blog!”

He would say, “How did you use that assignment to bring Glory to Me and meet objectives 1-4?”

Nearing the bottom of my backpack of accomplishments, I might say,

“I composed music.  I sang for groups and for people individually.  I even sang on a You Tube video, sharing the music.”

He would say, “How did you use that assignment to bring Glory to Me and meet objectives 1-4?”

God Reviews The Qualifications for Heaven

I sense by that point, He might step away from The Gate and beckon me to come closer.

“You have told Me all about the Gifts I gave you to help you bring Glory to Me and meet objectives 1-4.  You can put your trophies away now.  You can’t bring them in here.

You didn’t seem to have many answers for the questions I have been asking you.  So let me break it down for you.

1. Who do you say I AM?
2. Do you love Me?
3. How much of My Love have you shared with those persons who are not like you?  Do you love them like I do?  Do you look them seeing Me in them as their Creator and yours?  Do you recognize Me in them?  (Sometimes the first step is your being able to see Me in them, even before they recognize Me!)
4. Finally, do you love yourself, knowing you are exactly who I created you to be?  Oh yes, there may be some rough edges yet to be polished, and some dirt to be removed, but do you know that at your very center, I AM.  Go back and review questions 1 and 2.

I don’t think you are ready to come inside yet.  I think you need a little more time on earth to think this out.  Review the prime objectives for your time on earth and be ready to report when I call you back.”

Why Am I Here?

If this were the scenario, I’m not sure whether I would feel disappointed not to have entered Heaven or whether I would feel relieved to have another chance to meet the Prime Objectives for my time on Earth.

My view has changed from what it once was.  I recognize with humility that any earth trophies I have managed to get won’t be going with me through Heaven’s Gates.

I also know that I have not been sent here to be a mirror of other people’s views, either to agree with them or to push back at them.  I am a window to allow others to see God’s Love, Goodness and Mercy.  I am here to help others hear His Knock at the door.  I am here to go with them to open the door with Joy and Expectation.

The most significant thing I can do in life is to show God’s Love and do all to His Glory.  It is He Who is The Life of Significance!

The best and truest thing that can be said about anyone is what Jesus said of His Relationship with His Father.

“Anyone who has seen me

has seen The Father.”

John 14:9

In my case, my hope and prayer is that they will see through my imperfections to The Perfect One Who lives inside me!

Note:  I have just started a new video teaching series.  The first video post includes a Love Song God gave me to sing.  When I asked Him where He was, He answered!  I would love for you to join my husband and me on the video journey.  I invite you to my book web site, where you can find the links to either You Tube or God Tube.  

www.christianreading.com/cjones