Significant?

Someone asked me of late ... "Have you found your significance?" At first I didn't quite get it. Significance? Now that's heavy! I had to ask him to ask me again. Then he said, "What defines you?" Hmm ... that's deep! In a moment's time, I said to him what I am going to say to you now about significance, about what really defines a person.

Ever wonder why people commit suicide? I guess it's not just about problems. I guess it's about the issue of significance. Maybe they feel like an outcast, or an under-achiever. Maybe they don't like what they see about themselves. Maybe in their "undefined self" they don't see a promising future and therefore embrace a sense of hopelessness and lostness. Or maybe simply they don't love themselves.

AND on the other hand, there are those who have achieved much perhaps in career or in status quo and they feel like they are somebody ... important, significant. Afterall, they've made it! Have they?

Well, if our successes defines us; if our status quo defines us; if what we drive or where we stay defines us, then I would think our significant-self would be rather ... shall I say .... shallow? 'Cos I have seen such people plagued by disease of arrogance, self centeredness, rudeness, obnoxiousness, practicing injustice and oppression, and the likes. No, our achievements do not define us. Our status quo do not define us. What defines us is, in my opinion, RELATIONSHIP.

Bible says, "A good name is more desirable than silver or gold". You inherit a good name when you relate well with people. You inherit a bad name when you do not relate well with people. And when you have a good name, you are significant. If you do not have a good name, you are insignificant. Remember, relationship matters most to God.

Personally, I believe I am defined in my relationship with God. Who am I? What on earth am I doing here on planet earth? What's my purpose in life? Lots of people work very, very hard to get as much as they can in life. In the end, or at some point, these questions popped in. They could not find their significant self. Their works did not define them. So what does? And the answer is ... they need to be born again! Jesus said we are all lost like sheep without a shepherd. We are all living in darkness. We are alienated form our Creator. Until and unless we re-connect with God, we will never find our significance in life. You must be born again.

I find myself being complete in Christ. To me, God matters and He matters the most. Without Him, whatever I have achieved or could achieve, has no meaning. My approval comes from God. Take Him from me and I am being plunged into darkness and lostlessness. In Him, you may take away what's precious to me yet I will survive. In Him I appreciate all that I have. To sum it all up, like the apostle Paul said, "In Him I live and move and have my being."

What defines me? My relationship with God. Have I found my significance? Yes ... since the day I was born again. I love God. I love my wife and my family. I love my church (that's you) and I love myself. I am fulfilled, yet not in my achievements, my visions or in who I am. I am significant because of whose I am. I love my Heavenly Father and I love life!

Blessings.