What Matters Most?
What matters most to you, if you are a Christian? I guess if I asked that in a room of 100 committed Christians, I would potentially get 100 different answers. I am a firm believer in absolute truths, but the potential for subjectively true answers is inherent in the question. It would seem that the question would need to be narrowed to get to more objective truths. But...I don’t wish to narrow the question, as it is something that I have been pondering for a time. It is prompted, or was, by the social media posts of many Christian (and those claiming to be so). Often we see our news-feeds blown up by the latest fad or news story of the day. Christians can get outraged in a moment; our “righteous indignation” is the spiritual gift that seems to permeate throughout the ‘Church’ not matter the denomination, tribe, or soteriological belief.
Yet, I still wonder, what matters to you the most? I want to explore some potential answers. I’m not exhausting this list, as it could potentially be inexhaustible. Also, it should be noted that depending on the season of your life (I’m starting to hate that phrase), you may find yourself answering different. Sometimes the most important thing today won’t be tomorrow, I understand that. In reality this question is more about a philosophy of sorts; what is the basis of your life in Christ and by acknowledging what is most important...well...then we can see what our priorities may be. So let’s look at some potential answers, hopefully some you may have not thought of.
TRUTH
Is truth the most important thing, as a Christian? For those who fall here it is about finding the truth and grounding their lives in this. Often, they have thoroughly investigated the claims of Christianity and found the truths espoused are hard to dismiss. From the ‘Moral Argument’ for the existence of God to the ‘Minimum-Facts-Argument’ (for the Resurrection), those who love truth above all have sought serious answers to serious questions. Some of the questions are; why something instead of nothing, why are WE here, and/or are there absolute rights and wrongs and can we know them? These, and many other questions, often lead honest inquisitors towards Christianity as the reality we live in is best explain by the truths we find in our faith.
RELATIONSHIP
To be clear, this is about a relationship with our Creator/Savior. Many people that fall under this category find that the knowledge of knowing and being known by God/Jesus is the most satisfying aspect of their faith. They are relational (another term that needs scratched) in their everyday life and nothing is different in their relation to God. You will find that these believers were searching for a meaning to life in relationships. Their love for God/Christ transcends all other relationships and is foundational to their treatments of others. They love strongly, and find contentment in relationships with others, generally referred to as a ‘people-person’.
BEING RIGHT
This last category is the least noble, at least taken to an extreme version. These are those whose faith is paramount to the school kid taking their ball and going home-no one else can play- it’s THEIR rules. “We have the truth and you don’t,” may be the mantra of these individuals. This manifests itself in apologetics, theology, and even evangelism. The ‘being-right-apologist’ (and again these are the extreme versions) argues for the truth of our faith on the basis that the others don’t have it and are just ignorant of the truth that is so obviously evident. The ‘being-right-theologian’ is arguing that the theology of the Christian faith is the only ‘obvious’ theological truth, all others are so inferior. Even the ‘being-right-evangelist’ is happy to tell (and I mean HE IS HAPPY) you are going to hell, because, you know, he is right and you are not.
CONCLUSION
I guess there could many other reasons that someone considers the most important aspect of their faith. I think I waver along this spectrum of truth-relationship-being right at times, often too much time spent at any point, especially ‘being right’. My Christian faith dictates every aspect of my life. How I interact with my fellow man, how I form my opinions, and how I live out my everyday life is based upon the faith that I am grounded in. Truth is important, as are relationships, and even being right (sometimes). Yet, none of these should be held so tightly to not explore other reasons for being a Christian. Some examples of this (which are probably variations of the three mentioned) are; exploring the reason for why things are, the foundation of human interaction, and/or the essence of who we all truly are. Our faith is not so shallow that we can’t have multiple reasons for why we believe what we believe. Matter-of-fact, I would be interested to know what you count as most important to you, in your faith.
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