Fifteen Things God Won’t Ask
by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown
God won’t ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation. God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how many people you welcomed into your home. God won’t ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but will ask how many of those clothes helped the needy. God won’t ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of class you displayed. God won’t ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask if they dictated your life. God won’t ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if you compromised your character to obtain that salary. God won’t ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you worked overtime for your family and loved ones. God won’t ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you promoted others. God won’t ask what your job title was, but will ask if you reformed your job to the best of your ability. God won’t ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did to help others. God won’t ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many people to whom you were a true friend. God won’t ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask what you did to protect the rights of others. God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask how you treated your neighbors. God won’t ask about the color of your skin, but will ask about the content of your character. God won’t ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but will ask how many times they didn’t. I found this online the other day and it really got in my head and made me think long and hard about the priorities in my life. It's good to remember what really matters and what doesn't. Sometimes it's easy to get the two confused. I can't tell you how much time I've wasted thinking about such trivial things: my job, money, and popularity. Worrying about what everyone else thinks really doesn't matter!! |
This Sunday, Donald Miller, a popular Christian author (best known for writing Blue Like Jazz) spoke at our church. He is on a big tour for his new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. He was great and his words were thought-provoking. I had never had things presented to me in the way he did but it was very enlightening. Again I started to question my priorities and the "story" I am living.
Miller's new book is all about living a life that matters...even if that means re-writing your life "story" to make it incredible. What a concept! According to him, life shouldn't be easy or conflict free.(It's the commercials and society that teach us that life is supposed to be simple.) If it is, then we are merely coasting along through life.
I know I am guilty of avoiding conflict like the plague or not doing things I know I should because I don't want to feel "uncomfortable." I stay in my little comfort zone so as to not have to experience anything scary. Yes, I'll admit it, I'm a WIMP and currently my life story is pretty wimpy. What do I really do to challenge myself? What remarkable things do I do for others?
I am currently reading Miller's book and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh outlook on life. Miller's definition of a story is this:
A character that wants something and overcomes conflict to get it.
So simple, yet so profound. Think about all the good movies out there, they are all about a character wanting something and facing challenges to get it. If there isn't a challenge, we won't watch the movie....however we still think initially that conflict is bad. Maybe it's not so bad afterall. Miller says conflict "serves us well." I think maybe he's right!
So how will I make my life a good story? How will I make sure that when I leave this earth, I lived a life that really mattered? Well, for starters I can stop being selfish and give more of myself.
While at Miller's event, I had the opportunity to sponsor a child in need, no, make that two children in need. One is a boy in the U.S. that is growing up in a father-less home. I joined a program (actually Miller's non-profit called that is going to provide him with a mentor/father-figure. Did you know that 85% of the prison community in the U.S. grew up in father-less homes? Just think if every child in this country had a father or mentor to guide them through life, we could greatly reduce the number of prisons in our country. Pretty cool initiative he's started. If you are looking for a good cause to support, this is definitely one. The video shows more:
Knowing that I am making a difference in two lives is a great feeling. I hope to be able to do more in the future, but for now I am excited to know that I am helping others instead of just worrying about myself. I've tithed my money in the past but this is the first time it feels real to me that I am directly helping someone else. I know exactly where my money is going and who it is helping. It's pretty cool!
I'm still going to think about my "Story" and what I can do to really kick it up a notch but for now, I am pleased with my new outlook on life.
I'll leave you with this final thought from Miller:
If you think life is meaningless, you should consider instead that maybe your life is meaningless. And only YOU can do something about that.
So get out there and Do Something That Matters!!
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