What Will Matter

By Francis Kong

Michael Josephson of Character Counts says something that is so sobering. He says:

Ready or not, some day it will all 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.
So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will 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.
How true this is. And Michael Josephson gives us reasons to think.

Have you ever seen aged people in wheelchairs, have you ever seen people in Intensive Care Units, have you ever visited a graveyard?

All the striving, all the achieving, all the awards, recognitions and applause forgotten and what is left will be raw essence.

The raw essence of character built over the years.

I have seen aged people so inspiring they are still inspiring others.

I have seen medically challenged people still reaching out to others and encouraging others even in the midst of their own pains.

I have also seen some rich and powerful people living in their twilight years yet still exuding with the raw essence of greed and selfishness.

I have also seen people in their deathbed still defiant, stubborn and controlling.

At the end of the day and perhaps towards the end of our life’s journey, what will matter is our character.

How do we build our character?

Live a Christ-like life. Read His Words, do what He says regardless of what you currently believe or do not believe. Trust in Him to change you and build you to become the person He wants you to be.

Then you will begin to know Him better. Experience Him better and you become better. Test this and see how the character is built in the process.

Daily Bible Reflections

August 2, 2011
Oh, Me, of Little Faith!

But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened... – Matthew 14:30

Many times in my life, God has called me to step out in faith and walk on water, just like Peter.
Resigning from my demanding and high-paying job two months after I got married was one of them. I felt God was calling me to prioritize building our family over pursuing my career. So with all the courage in our hearts, my husband and I decided that I’d stop working full-time.
Fear, however, started to grip my heart after I left my job. I started thinking, “Could we really afford to pay all our bills with only my husband working? How about the equity and monthly amortization of our newly acquired home? Could we afford to have a child at this time?”
I started to “sink” in my doubts and fears. But God saved me from drowning further in my doubts and fears by dispelling them with His love and His timely provisions.
He gave my husband a new and better paying job. God also took care of all our financial concerns and provided for us in ways beyond our imagination. Like He said, “It is I; do not be afraid.”Teresa Gumap-as Dumadag (teregmps@yahoo.com)
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REFLECTION:
What causes me to be frightened at this time of my life?

Lord Jesus, save me from sinking in the sea of doubts and fear.

Daily Bible Reflections

August 1, 2011
Key to God’s Supply Room

“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” – Matthew 14:17

“Lord, thank you for giving us a nice parking slot.” You might think I’m crazy for disturbing God for something as silly as a parking space. But I believe He doesn’t mind if it’s a parking space or a few million dollars. Because I have the key to His supply room: trust.
Two years ago, we created a five-year plan for Anawim, our ministry for the abandoned elderly. I told my team I wanted to build five new houses in five years. I figured that’s how long it would take for us to raise the needed money. God must have heard us planning that day — and laughed. Because what I thought would take five years, God supplied in three months. I’m not kidding.
Five friends told me they’d be donating one building each, costing one million pesos a piece. Amazing! But then I had another problem. Anawim wasn’t ready to sustain the additional number of elderly we’d be accommodating. It would take a few millions more for their food, medicines and the staff needed!
What should I do? Walk into God’s supply room and get what I need. You should learn to do this, too, for all your needs.
Keep giving in faith. And keep asking in faith. Bo Sanchez (bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com)
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REFLECTION:
How big is your trust?

Lord, help me to trust that with You, all things are possible.

Daily Bible Reflections

July 31, 2011
IN THEIR SHOES

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” – Matthew 14:16

Many events I covered in the past as a reporter included tragedies, deaths, fatal accidents and killings. I did my best to get the job done — interview people, know the facts and get all the sides. But there came a point when I became desensitized. I would ask mourning interviewees or traumatized victims questions with the right words and appropriate tone but I couldn’t feel for them anymore.
This bothered me. I prayed for compassion so I could feel again how it was to be in their shoes and be able to minister to them. In today’s Gospel, Jesus wanted His disciples to also learn compassion. They saw the crowd and asked Jesus to tell them to go home because they couldn’t feed them. But Jesus wanted the disciples to realize that these people had waited long hours, ready to stay put for days to listen to Him. It just wouldn’t be right to send them away.
Jesus wanted His disciples to give what they had even if they think it wasn’t enough because He could multiply what they had. This the disciples witnessed with the five loaves and two fish that fed thousands. Carlo Lorenzo (carloflorenzo@yahoo.com)
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REFLECTION:
Do I lack compassion? Am I just doing my job but my heart does not go out to the people around me? Do I hold back in giving because I feel inadequate?

Father, let Your Spirit search the deepest parts of me. Tell me what I lack. Fill me with confidence to give even when I think I’m not enough.