Things That Matter Most.
Some things matter most to you. What is it that matters most?
When was the last time you did an inventory about your priorities? Why is your answer important? It’s important because it will tell you how you are investing your time, money, and energies.
Every day you invest twenty-four hours of time you will never get back. Life is short and uncertain, you need to be sure you are getting the best value and return on your investment.
In addition to time, you invest money each day. How savvy are you when it comes to spending money? How would you describe your habits regarding the use of money? Do you live within your means? Are you overwhelmed by debt and struggling from one paycheck to the next?
Are you investing your time and money in the things that matter most? If not, you may want to think more deeply about those things that bring lasting happiness and peace. Speaking of happiness, I have found a website that focuses on the things that some people believe brings purpose and true happiness to them. Interesting, you may want to check it out. http://trackinghappiness.com
How can we know what things matter most?
Sometimes it is very difficult to be very clear about what matters most because there are so many things clamoring for our time and money.
The idea that some things matter more than others is a value judgment, isn’t it? Whether we think about it much or not, all of us need to have a sense of purpose and to be deeply happy. I believe the degree to which that happens depends on what we choose to matter most to us.
Every time I pick up my mail, I pass by my recycle bin and sort it. I have found that one of the issues that comes with giving to a cause that matters a great deal to me is that I somehow get on the radar for many others who want to matter to me also.
Almost every time I open my mailbox there are several solicitations for my money and time. Some of these letters are from politicians wanting a donation. Others are from various worthy charities. Do you know what happens to most of this mail? It is discarded to my recycle bin to be processed for some other use.
Why do I do this? I’m not unsympathetic to many of the needs for which I’m being solicited. I deny the request because I have made a value judgment about what matters most to me. I have priorities, and those charities get the bulk of my donations. Some things matter most to me.
Isn’t this true about how we live, how we spend our time, money, and energies? We make value judgments every day. We choose to invest our time, money, and energy on those people and things that matter most to us; the rest we discard.
Jesus said that the things that matter most have something to do with the condition of our heart. He said it like this, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21.
I have a couple of questions for us to consider. First, does my list of things that matter most resemble God’s list? Second, if my list is the same as God’s list, is my daily life consistent with what I say matters most to me?
What does Jesus say about what should matter most?
If you are truly interested in living with purpose and being genuinely happy, you need to listen to what Jesus has to say about it. I suppose one of the reasons some folks don’t pay much attention to what scriptures have to say on certain subjects is that they don’t like the answers the Bible gives. If you only consult the Bible to prove a point or like its teaching only when it agrees with you, you probably won’t like Jesus’s answer to this question.
You see, the Bible is God’s inspired word. God is right and he doesn’t apologize for what he says is right and wrong. Some folks just can’t deal with how narrow the truth is about this subject. But, you must understand that all truth is narrow. Two plus two is four; it is not three or five. Yes, God’s truth is narrow and we make a great error when we distort it to satisfy our beliefs or to spare someone’s feelings.
Now, what is the biblical answer to what matters most to God? I believe you will find the answer by reading Matthew 22:35-40. What matters most is crystallized in Jesus’ words in verse 37. Putting God first and loving others as we love our self is the essence of what life is all about, the very reason we were created, and the secret to finding real purpose and meaning in life.
What a great difference it would make in our families and our world if we lived out the implications of this profound teaching. Jesus, living in and through us can make it happen! 
Check out this blog for more perspective on this vital subject. https://www.cosdavis.com/life-lessons-living-a-balanced-life/
Here are a couple of my books to check out if you need ideas about your marriage and parenting. https://www.cosdavis.com/marriage-is-what-you-make-it
https://www.cosdavis.com/parenting-with-a-purpose/