Eternal Perspective

So, it's Friday! Again. Already. Is it just me, or have the weeks been
flying by? I mean, I'm excited about the weekend being here, but
sometimes I have to stop and think "What have I done in the past month?
How have I been spending my time? Am I investing in the things that are
important to me, or am I just maintaining? Functioning? Living for the
weekend?"

I want to spend my time and energy investing in the things that really
matter--People. God. (Eternal things.) A friend and I had breakfast this
morning and we were talking about our homework for the class we're
taking. Somehow the topic of values came up, and the difference between
the things God says are valuable and the things the world says are
valuable. It's funny how self-contradicting we are. How
self-contradicting I am. I know what I think my values are...what I want
my values to be. I want to value things that last more than I value
things that don't last. I want to value people more than tasks,
accomplishments, money, or my own comfort. I want to value God, learning
His word, and getting to know Him better more than I value my own
reputation, my own self-promotion. I know that these are things that are
important to me, but soooo often the way I live my life betrays the
reality of my own heart. I spend my time, energy, and thought life
seeking the things that do not matter--the approval of others, lack of
conflict in relationships (at the expense of real intimacy), and
material comfort.

I read this article last week called Values Transformation. It had
questions to ask yourself that are meant to uncover your actual values
(not just what you think you value or what you want to value, but what
you truly value). It was very eye-opening. At the same time, however, it
gave me hope--I can choose to act consistently with what I know is
valuable, making time for the things that do matter, and giving less of
myself to the things that don't. (Jewel: "Lend your voices only to
sounds of freedom...no longer lend your strength to that which you wish
to be free from...")

I read a quote recently from Goethe that was something like "That which
matters most must never be at the mercy of that which matters least."
That's how I want to live! That's what the Bible calls living wisely and
not foolishly--the fool throws his days away and never lifts his eyes
from himself and his own little bubble long enough to discover the true
fulfillment of investing in things that matter. Things that last.

We can lead lives of real meaning! Real purpose! Isn't that cool? I love
that God values us so highly that He gives us the opportunity to live a
life that really matters. I don't want to waste that.