What Matters

Yesterday two people asked me to take a picture with them. Saturday I got to take a picture with my new Great Granddaughter. It got me thinking about what matters in life. Certainly there are many things we can think of, but my question is what really matters in our relationship with other human beings?

One of those pictures was with a person I recently met who was referred to me by one of our Board members who also preaches at the Great Awareness Church at ATB. The woman in the picture's name is Amanda, and she is a connector,  Podcaster and strategist.  She is a strong Christian woman who has some incredible ideas. She can help ATB.

Another is my first female great grandchild Bellezza (Belle). She is my 5th, but the first for my grandson Logan and his wife Liz. As I watched the interaction with her Dad I thought back to when I used to take him to the movies, take him around on the riding lawnmower with me, go to the baseball and football games with him, and when I used to read him bedtime stories. Belle can help me love my family better.

Then the third is with a man whose name I don't know yet who I just met yesterday. He came up to me after a meeting and asked to take a picture with me. Don't know all the reasons why but I know he was touched by my message Reckless Love God's Way.  We are in different places, much different ages and different colors, but we are brothers loving the same God. This man whose name I will get to know will help me love others.

My point is that every person we come in contact with provides a value to our lives to teach us what does matter. Family, Friendship, Influence, it all carries a weight of presence to us but we tend to rate it by importance. How often do we overlook the simple encounters when in fact they are God moments to strengthen our faith and encourage someone else who has been under valued? 

Every person we encounter matters. Ask Jesus about the Canaanite woman, the paralyzed man on the mat, the woman caught in adultery, the wild man running around cutting himself, the woman at the well - these are just a few who he validated by his presence and healing.

We are certainly not Jesus, but we can always act like we know him. That matters!