The significant life

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power

I Corinthians 4:20

Everywhere I go, I find people engaged in the fight for significance.  People want to know that their lives mattered.  People desparately want to feel like their fights and struggles contributes to the good of their society.  People desire legacy.  Its not a case of unhealthy ambition or narcassism, but this seems like a natural trait.  To have significance seems to be in our DNA.

The essence of hopelessness is a person who resigns themselves to insignificance.  Nothing matters and they feel powerless and out of control.  Hopelessness is a real, palpable entity, that can be seen in almost every environment.  It does not take us long to meet someone who is making tragic decisions because somewhere and somehow, they accepted that the choices that we make, the people we become, and relationships we foster, have no bearing ultimately.

Yet, when we look at the lives in which we are created to live, from a Biblical perspective, we see that we are to live a life of power (see scripture above).  We are to have influence that changes lives.  I believe that we make decisions daily whether to live in that power, or the assume helplessness and hopelessness.

Decision #1: I will recognize that my greatests contributions reside in causes much greater than my personal story.  In other words, we need to understand that we a part of something much greater than ourselves.  Our personal successes: vocational, physically, relational, etc; are trivial compared to how they fit in a greater cause.  When we make our careers, marriages, and personal achievements ends in themselves, we bred hopelessness as careers come and go, incredible records are meant to be broken, and relationships change.  In other words, our stories should fit into a greater story as opposed to trying to make the great stories, including God's story, fit into ours.

Decision #2: I Will follow Jesus' way.  Regardless if you are a Christian or not, you must understand that Jesus' life demonstrated a model for significance.  Here, we have a poor uneducated peasant who changed the world.  How did he do it? Four things:

             1. Always understood his life with a calling and unique purposes
             2. Always understood who he was even when others were confused.
             3. Always understood that life was to be shared, never hoarded
             4. Always understood that everything he had, was a gift to be shared.

Decision #3: I will make a difference in a thousand difference ways.  What is mind boggling is that there are some things that we believe are inconsequential that make a huge difference in the life of others and somethings we think are huge that mean nothing.  If you think about living your life with the understanding that every moment and encounter may have eternal consequences, you will find that you will make a difference in thousands of difference ways.

Today, we are filled with a self-centered culture where everything is based upon how I feel or want.  This is an empty, hopeless existence where contentment and peace are fleeting.  I encourage you today, be a person of significance.  Dare to make a difference in your life today.  You were made for this!

May God bless you,


Pastor M Traylor