what really matters

Wednesday night, I sat up and watched history being made. At long last, the Cubs won their world series. People wept, parties and parades were thrown and joy radiated in the hearts of every Cubs fan in America. Hey, even non Cubs fans couldn't help but feel a little satisfaction that after over 100 years, "The curse had been broken."

As I watched the game however, I felt some frustration. I haven't watched much TV in a while and I was sickened by the political ad's I saw. So much hate, so much division, so much tension permeating our nation.

Before I fell asleep that night, I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed at all the delighted posts and comments from Cub's fans. I saw a little news blurb roll across the screen from our local news station, about a 10 year old boy who was hit by a car and killing crossing a busy street. It was a tiny bit of white noise in the midst of all the celebration but it caused an uneasiness in my heart. As I lay there a name of a boy I knew lived nearby that place flashed through my heart for just a moment. Then I fell asleep.

I was awakened the next morning with a text waiting for me from a friend. It said that the little boy who had died was the little name that the Holy Spirit had brought to my heart. 

Here in the midst of all this rejoicing, was grief. This little boy was not family, or "friend" in the technical sense of the word. This little boy was among the sea of little faces that pass through the doors of the mission where I work. 

As I went about my day yesterday, my heart was heavy with the loss of this little life. Midafternoon, I came into the office where I work to find my boss and a coworker standing together. Something was not right, I could tell. My boss then told me that there had been another accident. One of my coworkers son had been killed while riding his bicycle. He was 17. 

I stood there looking stupid for a minute. Then all I could seem to do was slump to the floor. I sat in the corner staring blankly while my heart screamed, "This is too much!"

Though I didn't even really know the second young man, the pain that I felt for his mother, who is my friend, was unbearable. 

A headline came out this morning that read something to the affect of:

"Police are investigating two pedestrian death involving children within 24 hours"

I still feel overwhelmed by my connection to both of them.

All of these things have started me thinking about what really matters. I keep thinking about all the places we put our value and all of the things that we give our energy.

Yesterday morning, as the world celebrated a baseball game, a handful of people grieved a little boy.

Yesterday afternoon, as people argued with their coworkers about who to vote for, a mother received the phone call every parent fears.

But I realized that the sum of all these things, is that we need to turn our eyes to Jesus. 

This. World. Is. Broken.

It is not our home. 

What happens on this earth only matters in the light of how it affects eternity. 

Hear me clearly, I LOVE baseball, but I cannot help but wonder what would happen if people felt as passionately about the Lord as they do about their team. When is the last time believers flooded the streets in celebration of the salvation that we have been given by the mighty God we serve.

We argue and we fight over this upcoming election, but when will believers stop wringing there hands in anxiety and hit their knees in passionate prayers to the Lord. 

It is time we stop treating God like some second option. It is time we stop deciding what's important and start letting Him decide. It is time we take scary steps of faith because HE IS WORTH IT. We have to dig in to faith and obedience and follow the Lord with reckless abandon. 

The enemy has us so distracted by superficial things we have take our eyes of the things that really matter. 

I know I have. Yesterday my heart was heavy, but instead of digging into the Lord, falling on my face, crying out for mercy and grace, my deepest desire was to numb my mind. I came home and slept. Then I got up, squeaked out some broken obedience because I HAD to, then flopped back in my bed, turned on Netflix and turned off my brain.

We have to stop looking for ways to numb the pain. 

ME. FIRST.

I have to commit to turn off all the noise so that I can hear the Lord speak. 

As I think about that 10 year old boy who passed through a place where I offer care, I cannot help but think about all the others who come through there as well. 

I may only have a few minutes to impact them for the Lord. I may be one of the only visible pictures of Christ they see. How will I handle that? You see these are the people I get to serve. Will they see Jesus in me?

Whatever is happening in your world today, I BEG you to ask yourself this question:

Does this really matter?

My dad often will use this quote:

Only one life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.

Yes, celebrate an incredible World Series win, but celebrate the power of Jesus so much more.

Yes, stand for what you believe is right in the political realm, but stand for what is right in the eyes of of Lord even more. 

Hold your family close, touch hearts and lives, make a difference, because if you know Christ you have the power within you to do so.

Let's fix our eyes on Jesus who holds our lives, the lives of our loved one, the results of elections and baseball games, in the palm of His hand. Let's listen to Him and let's live for Him.

Jesus, 

Today I thank you, that no matter what is happening in our world you are still the King. I thank you that even though we don't fully understand your ways, we can trust that you are in control. I thank for being so good, even when our circumstance are not. I think you that you know the end and the beginning of every story and that you never leave us or forsake us along the way. Lord help us as a nation to turn our eyes back to what really matters and to trust in you no matter what.

...so be it.