What Matters
Love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27
And what does The Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
Getting sidetracked can occur so quietly, unintentionally; blindsiding us. At one point we realize, "Man, I have strayed off the path, letting minor things become major ones, causing havoc within my family."
The above verses center me, reminding me of what truly matters.
I want to emphasize the things that can distract us are not "bad" things. They can include but are not limited to character training, manners, chores, serving others, sports, hobbies, lessons, to name a few.
Thankfully, our Lord is forgiving, compassionate and merciful (Lam. 3:22). Throughout this past week he has shown me what matters by giving me glimpses into my childrens' character.
Nonchalantly, one son tells me he and his sister are home a bit later than usual from youth group because they stopped to move a lady's car out of the road; when they learned she was out of gas, they gave her five dollars.
Another son willingly drove me and his brother out forty minutes to a camp, and back, (I woke him up and he had five minutes to get ready) because I had something in my eye and was not comfortable driving. Then he asked if he could buy me coffee. While in line he said we should bring one home for his sister too.
Our neighbor's granddaughter was celebrating her ninth birthday. When my daughter learned she didn't have plans for the day, she announced she was riding with her on our tandem bike to Mc Donald's to buy her lunch.
The same girl was blessed by my son who dropped a birthday card with ten dollars in it at her front door (didn't even put his name on it)!
When we cry out to God for help, he answers. He is faithful, always. I was so frustrated that my kids were not consistent with completing their chores. On several occasions a full on meltdown occurred!
Yet, when I sought The Lord, he chose to answer by showing me what matters-would I rather have kids who do their chores regularly and not reach out to bless others, or kids who give of themselves to others and not unload the dishwasher everyday? On some days my actions and words would demonstrate I chose the former.
Our God is the God of second and third chances. Today I choose to focus on what truly matters.
