Curious About the Right Stuff
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, "The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire." As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. -- Nehemiah 1:1-4: English Standard Version; emphasis mine
Have you noticed the JUNK on the news these days? I watch very little "television news", because most of it is about stuff that does not and will not make a hill of beans in life. The most disturbing (and this will sound weird) stuff on the news is that people actually think following the lives of celebrities is NEWS. HA! Then, as if the TV isn't enough, I walk through the checkout line of the local grocery store only to be buffeted by magazines that are based around following the lives of celebrities. HA! It's junk! Then, as if all of that isn't enough, I work with teenagers who not only follow the lives of celebrities, but seem to try to emulate them. It's nerve racking!
My wife says I am no good at small talk. I try. But, the line is drawn when it comes to caring what Brittany Spears or any one else is doing on or off the stage or screen. I don't care how many times who's been married to who and whether they fell in love with one another while shooting a movie. I don't care if they love horses and hang gliding. I don't care if the rock star drives a Hummer or lives in a house with seven bathrooms.
Do you know why? (Because, I am a jerk.) No...well sort of...seriously, I don't care because it's all meaningless at the end of the day.
What I want to know about is the deep water stuff of life. There are too many people walking around me that I want to know to become star struck by people who live in a dream world of facades.
That's another thing I like about Nehemiah; another thing that inspires me. Some of his Jewish brethren come to see him and he asked them an important question. He doesn't ask them about the theater in Jerusalem. He asked them about the people of God and the city of God. He was curious about important things.
Honestly (and this part of my attempt at being real) I hate most small talk. Sure, it's fun, but does whether or not Booger McDoodle wins American Idol really matter? Do the happenings of a few nuts who eat bugs on Fear Factor really matter? Does whether or not what's-her-name's baby on General Hospital belong to Lucky or Jason have any REAL bearing on life? Will Detroit or St. Louis or New York winning the World Series slow down the AIDS epidemic in Africa? Will Rachel Ray cook any meals for the starving children of North Korea? Can the folks at Trick My Truck fix up a ride for the president of Iraq that will stop their civil war? Will Steven Spielberg's next movie stop the slaughter of children in the Sudan? Will Tommy Hillfiger's next line of clothing be given to poor children in Mexico? Will Puff Daddy's next record cause people to turn from sin and into the marvelous light of Christ Jesus? (If it does let me know and I'll become a fan.)
Do you think it will though?
Yeah, I doubt it too.
I know, I know...we all need to relax. We all need to unwind. We all need to recreate. Yes, I know. I agree too.
I'm just saying...
You know what I'm saying...
I'm challenging all of us to consider for ourselves how much we actually care about stuff that REALLY MATTERS. I honestly think if we care more about important things we would feel more fulfilled. In caring about the MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FIRST AND MOST we would put life into proper perspective more. In doing that we might culture within ourselves the right response to the right stuff; namely, we would fast and pray more.
I know...I'm a religious nut. I know. I'm not where I want to be either though. I still get mad when the Dallas Cowboys lose. Does THAT really matter? Nope.
I want to care about the most important stuff more. How about you?
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, "The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire." As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. -- Nehemiah 1:1-4: English Standard Version; emphasis mine
Have you noticed the JUNK on the news these days? I watch very little "television news", because most of it is about stuff that does not and will not make a hill of beans in life. The most disturbing (and this will sound weird) stuff on the news is that people actually think following the lives of celebrities is NEWS. HA! Then, as if the TV isn't enough, I walk through the checkout line of the local grocery store only to be buffeted by magazines that are based around following the lives of celebrities. HA! It's junk! Then, as if all of that isn't enough, I work with teenagers who not only follow the lives of celebrities, but seem to try to emulate them. It's nerve racking!
My wife says I am no good at small talk. I try. But, the line is drawn when it comes to caring what Brittany Spears or any one else is doing on or off the stage or screen. I don't care how many times who's been married to who and whether they fell in love with one another while shooting a movie. I don't care if they love horses and hang gliding. I don't care if the rock star drives a Hummer or lives in a house with seven bathrooms.
Do you know why? (Because, I am a jerk.) No...well sort of...seriously, I don't care because it's all meaningless at the end of the day.
What I want to know about is the deep water stuff of life. There are too many people walking around me that I want to know to become star struck by people who live in a dream world of facades.
That's another thing I like about Nehemiah; another thing that inspires me. Some of his Jewish brethren come to see him and he asked them an important question. He doesn't ask them about the theater in Jerusalem. He asked them about the people of God and the city of God. He was curious about important things.
Honestly (and this part of my attempt at being real) I hate most small talk. Sure, it's fun, but does whether or not Booger McDoodle wins American Idol really matter? Do the happenings of a few nuts who eat bugs on Fear Factor really matter? Does whether or not what's-her-name's baby on General Hospital belong to Lucky or Jason have any REAL bearing on life? Will Detroit or St. Louis or New York winning the World Series slow down the AIDS epidemic in Africa? Will Rachel Ray cook any meals for the starving children of North Korea? Can the folks at Trick My Truck fix up a ride for the president of Iraq that will stop their civil war? Will Steven Spielberg's next movie stop the slaughter of children in the Sudan? Will Tommy Hillfiger's next line of clothing be given to poor children in Mexico? Will Puff Daddy's next record cause people to turn from sin and into the marvelous light of Christ Jesus? (If it does let me know and I'll become a fan.)
Do you think it will though?
Yeah, I doubt it too.
I know, I know...we all need to relax. We all need to unwind. We all need to recreate. Yes, I know. I agree too.
I'm just saying...
You know what I'm saying...
I'm challenging all of us to consider for ourselves how much we actually care about stuff that REALLY MATTERS. I honestly think if we care more about important things we would feel more fulfilled. In caring about the MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FIRST AND MOST we would put life into proper perspective more. In doing that we might culture within ourselves the right response to the right stuff; namely, we would fast and pray more.
I know...I'm a religious nut. I know. I'm not where I want to be either though. I still get mad when the Dallas Cowboys lose. Does THAT really matter? Nope.
I want to care about the most important stuff more. How about you?
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