What Matters Most

”No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.” That’s Paul speaking, in 1 Corinthians 13:3b (The Message.) Life is all about love. And because God is love, the lesson He wants you to know most is how to love. God’s very foundation in relationships is love, so love is the base for every command he has given us.

As anyone who has been married can attest, learning to love without regard to self is one of the hardest things we need to learn. Our self-centered sin nature is responsible for that. God wants us to love everyone, but He is especially concerned that we love everyone in His family. As you know, this is the second purpose for your life. Peter tells us, Show special love for God’s people.” But why does God insist that we love and attention to other believers? Think about this: if you didn’t love your family; your spouse, your children – how would that look as an example to people looking to begin a marriage? God wants His family to be known for love for each other - not what we believe in our church – as that is our greatest witness to the world.

God wants us to be in close fellowship with Him, so you can learn what unconditional love is all about. Love itself is not merely a good part of your life, it is the most important part of your life! Through fellowship with God’s family, we learn three things:

1. The Best Use of Life is Love Love needs to be the number one thing you do, your top priority, primary objective and greatest ambition. Rick Warren, in “The Purpose Driven Life” says, “It’s not enough to say, ‘One of the things I want in life is to be loving,’ as if it is in your top ten list. Relationships must be the priority in your life above everything else. Why is this?
   
   A life without love is worthless. We speak of relationships sometimes as checkmarks on a calendar or something to be squeezed into our schedule. We speak of “finding time” for the kids and “making time” for other people. That really gives the impression that you are putting love behind something else in your life. But God says that relationships are what life is all about. Not the acquisition of things, not in our achievements, it is love that matters most.
   
   What isn’t the best use of life? Being busy is an enemy of relationships. If we are preoccupied with getting ahead, making the most money, sweating our bills and getting goals accomplished, we are not putting love first. The point of live is learning to love God and others. Live minus love is zero.
   
   Love will last forever. The second reason God wants us to make love our top priority is that it is eternal: ”These three things continue forever: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13. Love leaves behind your legacy. How you treated other people, not your accomplishments or how much you’ve accumulated in life, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth. Love is the secret of a lasting heritage. Rick Warren says, “In our final moments we all realize that our relationships are what life is all about. Wisdom is learning that truth faster, sooner than later! Don’t wait until you are on your deathbed to figure out that nothing matters more.”
   
   We will also be known for our love when we leave this earth to spend eternity. One of the ways God measures our spiritual maturity is through our relationships, the quality of them. When you leave the earth for eternity, you won’t be taking any of your possessions or accomplishments with you, of course.



2. The Best Expression of Love is Time How important things are to you is measured by how much time you give them. Some time ago, I heard a preacher say, “Think about the most important thing in your life, the thing you’d never give up, the thing that occupies your mind and your time the most.” He asked that question of his congregation, and hands shot up with lots and lots of… wrong answers. He concluded, “Everything you’ve told me is your God. Not wanting to give Him all of your attention, your desire, your honor to your Creator is… well... shameful.”
   
   It is not enough just to say relationships are important; you must prove it by investing time in them. Words alone are worthless. Rick Warren says,”The essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others, but how much we give of ourselves. Men, in particular, don’t understand this. Many have said to me, ‘I don’t understand my wife and kids. I provide everything they need. What more could you want?’ They want you! Your eyes, your ears, your time, your attention, your presence, your focus – your time. Nothing can take the place of that.”
   
   I’ve been guilty as charged of the offence Rick talks about, with those exact words. A loving wife set me straight and in a hurry. Time is love and love needs time. But remember, time well spent is focused time. Love concentrates so intently on another that you forget yourself at that moment. You can give yourself without loving, but you cannot love without giving.



3. The Best Time to Love is Now From “The Purpose Driven Life:” “Sometimes procrastination is a legitimate response to a trivial task. But because love is what matters, it takes top priority. “ Why is now the best time to love? Because you don’t know how much longer you will have the opportunity. Children grow up; circumstances change, people grow older. If you want to express love, do it now. The best use of your life is to love, and the best expression of love is time.

Next time: A Place to Belong.

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