Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man

I know that I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again - politics provide me many editorial thoughts.  They are just great fodder for spiritual lessons.  You’ve probable already figured out that today’s lesson subject comes from the world of politics and I hope that it serves as a lesson worthy of your consideration.

Since our recent election ended it just seems to me that a lot of people are bothered by something.  That many things seem to matter greatly to them.  For instance, the matter of taxes.  Are they going up or coming down?  I don’t have to tell you my guess, do I?

Are we going to have medical insurance, and if so, what’ll it cost?  With students, what seems to matter to them is who’s going to pay for their college tuition?  Or, will they have “safe spaces” to keep them from having to hear something they don’t agree with? It just seems like everyone is concerned with things that matter to them.

In regards to what matters, what I’ve noticed a lack of is those concerned with what really matters - the condition of their eternal souls.  I’ll borrow a phrase from the business world and opine that the condition of their soul should be their “bottom line.”

Yes, a lot of people are concerned with things that they believe matter.  Several years ago I ran across an essay written by a man named Michael Joshephson and I believe his words address what they THINK matters versus what REALLY DOES matter.  Allow me to cite it to you.

                                                                     WHAT WILL MATTER

                                  READY OR NOT, SOMEDAY IT ALL WILL COME TO AN END.

                        THERE WILL BE NO MORE SUNRISES, NO MINUTES, HOURS OR DAYS.

                              ALL THE THINGS YOU COLLECTED, WHETHER TREASURED

                                    OR FORGOTTEN, WILL PASS TO SOMEONE ELSE.

               YOUR WEALTH, FAME AND TEMPORAL POWER WILL SHRIVEL TO IRRELEVANCE.

                       IT WILL NOT MATTER WHAT YOU OWNED OR WHAT YOU WERE OWED.

                       YOUR GRUDGES, RESENTMENTS, FRUSTRATIONS AND JEALOUSIES

                                                        WILL FINALLY DISAPPEAR.

                   THE WINS AND LOSSES THAT ONCE SEEMED SO IMPORTANT WILL FADE AWAY.

                           IT WON’T MATTER WHERE YOU CAME FROM, OR ON WHAT SIDE

                                            OF THE TRACKS YOU LIVED, AT THE END.

                        IT WON’T MATTER WHETHER YOU WERE BEAUTIFUL OR BRILLIANT.

                             EVEN YOUR GENDER AND SKIN COLOR WILL BE IRRELEVANT.

                                                                SO WHAT DOES MATTER?

                                 HOW WILL THE VALUE OF YOUR DAYS BE MEASURED?

                    WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT WHAT YOU BOUGHT, BUT WHAT YOU BUILT.

                                            NOT WHAT YOU GOT, BUT WHAT YOU GAVE.

                     WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT YOUR SUCCESS, BUT YOUR SIGNIFICANCE.

                   WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT WHAT YOU LEARNED, BUT WHAT YOU TAUGHT.

                  WHAT WILL MATTER IS EVERY ACT OF INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, COURAGE

                          OR SACRIFICE THAT ENRICHED, EMPOWERED OR ENCOURAGED

                                            OTHERS TO EMULATE YOUR EXAMPLE.

                  WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT YOUR COMPETENCE, BUT YOUR CHARACTER.

                   WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU KNEW, BUT HOW

                              MANY WILL FEEL A LASTING LOSS WHEN YOU’RE GONE.

                      WHAT WILL MATTER IS NOT YOUR MEMORIES, BUT THE MEMORIES

                                          THAT LIVE IN THOSE WHO LOVED YOU.   

                      WHAT WILL MATTER IS HOW LONG YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED,

                                                          BY WHOM AND FOR WHAT.

                       LIVING A LIFE THAT MATTERS DOESN’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.

                               IT’S NOT A MATTER OF CIRCUMSTANCE BUT OF CHOICE.

                                            CHOOSE TO LIVE A LIFE THAT MATTERS.

Concluding thoughts:   Since Solomon revealed to us in Eccl. 12:7 that our soul returns to God who gave it to us in a pure condition, it should be a great matter on our part as to how He receives it back.  In fact, that should be the most important matter in our lives.  To be pleasing to God in the keeping of our souls.

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Covey