passion @ uwa

The Attraction of Lesser Things

Hey guys!! It's day 2 and here we go!!

As I read through this chapter, the first revelation I had ... is that I already know about this! I know that (1) relationships are more important than money and that (2) relationships are more important than tasks. Yes I heard that too many times, from too many preachers ... and chances are, that you're in the same boat with me. So let's do a little checkbox yeah?

Knowing these 2 facts - check
Understanding these 2 facts - check
Doing these 2 facts - not-so-check
Living these 2 facts - no comment pls

Yeah we know the principle and we know it is good stuff, but doing it constantly is a whole other ball game ... especially when we realize from Chapter 1 and from what Peter shared, that relationships are both wonderful and painful.

It's like how we see the opposite gender in that everlasting phrase "Can't live with them, can't live without them". So true when it comes to relationships ... sometimes we feel it would be much better to just simplify things by having surface or superficial relationships ... to avoid the heartaches, headaches and pain but that ultimately leads us to having no real & true relationships at all.

And what did Chapter 1 say about that? A life without relationships may well be a simpler life, but it is also an empty life. Let's remember this when we read on about relationships yeah?


Lesser values take less faith and less effort and The lesser value always seems easier

Again ... great pointers here BUT can we really understand and relate here? Most of us do not work full time, perhaps some part-time job to help out with the allowance and the nicer things in life but honestly ... none of us (Passion that is) really understands how $$ and the work that earns the $$ can control our lives. But we do understand something else quite clearly that funnily enough ... have the same excuses as working for money.

And that's our STUDIES. Let's look at our excuses yeah?

I got test/assignments coming up!
I got report/promotion coming up!

I have a responsibility to do well in my studies
I have a responsibility to earn a living

I'll have time after these exams/assignments
I'll have time after these promotions/project

Studies and work are important!! And we should excel in them because we honor God and become a good testimony and steward by doing well at our studies/work. But it shouldn't be what controls your life. I love the story of Bucky and I think we can slightly change his ending to make the moral more evident.

"I really can't afford to be gone right now, but decided that twenty years from now people wouldn't remember or care about my HDs, but the person who needs my time now will remember it for the rest of his/her life."

Friends, many of us make the excuse that "we will do it later when there's more time", but that will never happen. There's always another assignment, another report, another project. If we don't make the time now, we wouldn't when we start earning our wages.

Choose the greater value TODAY.

And there are some of us who worry about how little $$ we have as students and whether there will be enough at the end of the day. To this, God has the greatest encouragement for you.

"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food, drink and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing?" Matthew 6:25 NLT

Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Very strong words ... but very evident ones. We don't need to try to worry, there's plenty out there for us to worry about every single hour, minute and second. Life is more than just worrying, especially when we have the God of the how much more yeah?

In closing I want to share about a friend who recently found out he logged 300 DAYS PLAYING TIME on a certain game, that's close to a year in terms of time spent in front of the computer screen playing a game. I asked him what he had to show for all that time and money spent on that game ... what skills, what values, what impacting or life changing moments?

Friends, if we acknowledge the importance of money and time, then what do the ways in which I spend my time and money say about the top priorities in my life?

I don't judge my friend, and I actually think that game is really really awesome, something I could be sucked into as well! But this is a clear example of inbalance and like our book says ... A healthy relationship with God and healthy relationships with others have the power to keep our commitments to the things and the tasks in our lives from getting out of balance.

So let's invest in healthy relationships, towards others and especially to God. Remember ... choose the greater value today and not of those that are lesser things.

with much love,
Max