What are the things that matter most to us? We look at what matters most to us so we can get a better understanding of who we are and ultimately how that relates to how God sees us. We need a new perspective on who we are. How do we fit into the bigger picture? We are made of a larger whole where we each contribute a particular value. We have to look past the fake imitation and superficial version of who we are and find the real version of who we are. Who am I really? And are we able to answer that question in truth? So, to identify what matters most to us, let's look at some questions: If the world ended tomorrow, what would you do today? What is it that makes you want to get up in the morning? What fills you with compassion and drives you to tears? What makes you laugh out of your belly? What gives you a smiles so great that others want to smile just seeing you smile? What makes your heart race and skip a beat? What will you be prepared to die for? What will you sell everything for just to have it? Think about what Jesus says in Matt 13:44-46 about selling all you have to obtain that one special thing, referring to the Kingdom of heaven. In a way, what matters most to us is like treasure, so is your treasure where your heart is? (Matt. 6:21, Luk. 12:34) Or have you already sold everything, given it all to the poor and have your treasure in heaven? (Matt. 19:16-22; Mark 10:21; Luk. 12:33) Why does it matter to know who we are? We need to know who we are, so we can develop and grow that and become the best we can be and realise its maybe not where we are. Trying to be someone else limits us. We can be successful even if we are not the best version of who we were made. We are wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14). Are we living our shadow mission that John Ortberg writes about and missing who we really are? If our lives, missing it, seem to be so wonderful, imagine what how amazing it would be if we could live closer to what God made. So, we have to improve and work with what we have, like an athlete or artist or a composer. Some take this so seriously, that they even do this on their deathbed, like Mozart composing his Requiem on his deathbed. Just think of the generations and generations of people who have gone before us and on whose shoulders we stand. And those we need to leave something behind for, who come after us. We are the clay and God is the potter (Jer. 18:6; Is. 64:8). God made us to thrive and prosper (Jer 29:11), surely His plan is better than anything we can come up without Him. He counted the hairs on our head (Matt 10:31), His heart for us is to bear good fruit (Matt 7:15-20). Who am I, who are you, who are we to think we know better than God? (Rom 9:20 and the example of Job: where was he when God created the universe?) To help guide your thinking on this, here are some answers I have to some of these questions: If the world ended tomorrow, what would you do today? For me this includes spending time with family, the love of my life, tell people what they mean to me, pray and worship God and thanking God for what He has done. What is it that makes you want to get up in the morning? In my case this includes the joy and hope I feel, bringing peace, making music, my work, hearing birds and so on. What fills you with compassion and drives you to tears? Some things that do this for me are people who persevere in spite of their circumstances, who overcome, people hurting and suffering, and poignant and deeply honest love. What makes you laugh out of your belly? What gives you a smile so great that others want to smile just seeing you smile? For me this definitely is the love of my life, thinking of what God does, playing trumpet for example. What makes your heart race and skip a beat? Again, it is the love of my life, a beautiful sundown or nature scene, good music among other things. Some negative questions: What makes you angry? What breaks your speed/ momentum? (Mat 12:35; Luk 6:43-45) Is our fruit eternal? Is it a treasure in heaven? How do things important to us compare to how God sees us? We need to think about these things.
