“What’s the most important thing in life? Ever thought about it? Most of us are looking for the answer to that question. We’re not navel-gazing, wide-eyed fanatics. We’re not climbing mountains to talk to some wise man sitting cross-legged in the snow. But we are looking.
On our search, we tend to turn to something or someone to instruct us. We turn to self-help books, seminars, pastors, counselors, philosophies, nature, meditation, and other sources in hopes they will help us find the answer.
Each of these sources will point us toward something good and important. Things like happiness, health, family, success, generosity, love, spirituality, and legacy. These are all important, but which is the most important thing in life? How do you pick just one thing from a list of great things? Is there really just one thing that’s most important?
Rather than tell you what I think the answer is, let me give you a way to start figuring it out. Start by asking yourself the following question. “What’s the one thing that is most important to me right now…really?” I’m not talking about reciting the right answer. I’m talking about looking at your finances, the way you spend your time, the things you desire most…the actual evidence that shows what’s most important to you right now.
Then when you’ve identified that, ask yourself this question. “If I were on my deathbed drawing my last breath, would this thing still be as important?” If not, then you can probably cross it off of your most important thing in life list.
But don’t stop there. Take it to another level…
As I said above, we all turn to some kind of source to figure out what the most important thing is life really is. Scripture tells us that committing your life to Christ is the most important thing you can do for your eternal life, but what about life here and now? We’re told in the book of Proverbs that getting wisdom is the important thing you can do. (Prov. 4:7) I would have guessed that loving God or loving others would have been the most important thing. (Man am I embarrassed.)
Why would it be wisdom? Maybe it’s because wisdom (or the lack there of) impacts absolutely everything else we think or do…including loving God and others. Maybe it’s because wisdom is already linked to honoring God (Ps. 111:10). Maybe it’s because wisdom is not only knowing the right thing, but doing the right thing. Whatever the reason, Scripture places a very high value on getting wisdom.
When God told Solomon he could have whatever he desired, Solomon asked God to give him wisdom in order that he might be able to make good decisions for His people. (1 Kings 3:5-14) The interesting thing is that God granted his request for wisdom, and then gave him everything else on top of that. Maybe there’s a clue there.
When’s the last time you asked God for a general, all encompassing wisdom? Not for happiness. Not for finances. Not for health. Just for wisdom, as if it were the most important thing in life. Because it just might be.
Leave a comment and tell me what you think the most important thing in life might be.
Copyright © 2014 Bret Legg
Wow, what an impact! Thank you for posting that.
The most important thing to me would be love. Not the ooey gooey, mushy love. The unconditional, never ending, servin’ like Jesus, unprejudiced love we are called to dole out to everyone we encounter. Life would be so much easier if we could learn to do that.
Amen!
I had to think about it for awhile, but I think what is important to me right now is peace. The kind of peace that gives comfort even when fear, confusion, and pain creeps in. Maybe with wisdom, peace will come.
Wisdom certainly promotes peace. Wisdom helps us be more objective. It helps us see past our emotional responses to things…which though authentic, might not necessarily be correct…and make good choices about how to respond. All this lends to peace.