Significance

The other day I had the chance to just hang out by the side of a river and watch the water flow over the rocks. It was seriously an awesome time of just contemplating the things of life that God has provided us with. It made me start thinking about the significance that water plays in our lives. We wash with water, we play in water, and we drink water. We literally can’t live without water. This thought caused me to start thinking about my own significance.

I want to make a difference in the world and I want to have a sense that my life mattered. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t. But the way that we most likely measure our own significance is to compare our lives to the difference we see other people making. Then we determine that if we want to make a significant difference then we have to go out and do something to achieve it.

I heard a joke the other day about a business man who was on vacation and came upon a guy who was sitting on a chair on the beach with a lone fishing pole in the water. The businessman asked the guy fishing “Why don’t you have two poles in the water, so that you can sale the fish you don’t need and make a profit?”
The fisherman asked in response, “Why would I need to do that?”
The businessman responded, “So that you can eventually buy a boat and catch even more fish”.
The fisherman replied, “And then what?”
The businessman excitedly replied, “Well then you can expand to two boats and eventually hire other people to fish for you!”
The fisherman asked, “And then what would I do?”
At this the businessman was noticeably agitated and said, “Obviously you could relax on the beach like me and do all the fishing you want!”
The fisherman replied, “And your point?”

You see we so often get caught up in being significant that we miss the whole point. Our significance isn’t found in what we do in this world as much as being a part of what God is doing.

“But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of.” - 1 Corinthians 12:19 (The Message)

God has a plan and you are part of it. God has uniquely placed you in your life for a reason, so stop looking for a way to be significant and be significant. Be the difference maker in the lives of those who are already around you.