What Truly Matters

What Truly Matters

June 3, 2024

In our formative years, we learn many things, including social skills, basic facts of life, and the other skills needed, to someday live independently and function as a member of society. When we are young, we have this feeling of immortality. We fear nothing, everything is ahead of us, and there is a whole world of new things and places needing to be explored and conquered. For most of us, we were sheltered and protected from the evils of this world, by our parents. We hadn’t been hurt enough yet to become jaded or skeptical. Then as we begin to enter into the latter teen and young adulthood years, we get our feet wet developing relationships and learn a few things about heartbreak and disappointment. We tend to romanticize drama while trying to come to grips, with expressing and controlling our emotions.

            Human interaction is not a simple well-defined skill that can be taught from a textbook. Nor is it something that comes to you naturally, or follows a set timeline. It’s a long process developed throughout your life. It starts with toddlers wrestling over a toy. And continues for the duration of your life. You take away something from every social exchange you experience. The accumulation and practical application of these tidbits of knowledge you glean, help mold and define you as a person.

            I read an article this morning written by an Oncologist. In his line of work, he deals with many people who are dying and he commented about how he was often by their sides, just before and at the time of their deaths. According to him, every patient he has had personal experience with expressed in some form or another, at least one of the following four expressions. (And it comes, as no surprise, that not one of them mentions their bank account, asks if their Porsche is being cared for, or how the greens are down at the country club.)  1. They want to tell someone they love them. 2. They want to tell someone they forgive them. 3. They ask someone to tell them they love them. 4. They want someone to tell them they are forgiven.

            I can’t express how sad this makes me feel! That anyone’s final moments on earth should torment them with guilt and regret. It seems like such a waste. Especially when all this is so easily avoidable. As I mentioned earlier, human interactions are complicated and I honestly don’t know if anyone ever masters the subject. But love doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s only when we start allowing Satan to interfere in our relationships that it can turn ugly. You start mixing in pride, jealousy, a need for control, resentment, and anger, and this list could continue on. But pure love is not defiled by any of these things. Galatians 5:22-23, tells of the fruits of the spirit and lists them as Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith. It also throws in meekness and temperance for good measure. I am by far, no relationship expert, but I know if we practiced living by the Fruits of the Spirit, all our relationship problems would be diminished if not eradicated. We would not need to tell someone we love them while lying on our deathbeds. We would have already told them and our actions would have been proof of that. We wouldn’t need to ask for or offer forgiveness, that would have occurred as soon as the trespass took place.

            I urge everyone not to wait until you’re dying to tell someone what they mean to you. Don’t let another sunset go by without seeking or giving forgiveness. I’m one of the world’s worst about keeping a pocket full of round-to-its. But major life issues, simply should not be put off. And the single most important issue of all is your relationship with God! If The Lord were to come tonight, or if tonight is your last night, are you ready to meet him?  Read Mathew 24:36-41

            Up to this point, you may have trashed every relationship you’ve ever had. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. If there is breath in your body, there is still time to say, that you are sorry. There’s time to share your regrets with the person you are estranged from. There is time to tell someone how much they mean to you and how much you love them. But most of all, there is time to get right with God! The people you have wronged during your lifetime, may or may not forgive you, but God always will. He stands ready and willing to offer you forgiveness for anything and everything. His offer remains open until you take your last breath, but I would not advise gambling with your timing. I don’t want to leave this world with regrets, do you?