what matters

OK, so my husband likes to brag.  And not about himself.  About me.  He loves to live vicariously through my college glory days.  Seems like everyone he introduces me to says words like, “so I hear you’re some kinda soccer star….”  Drives me nuts.  Well, at least I say it drives me nuts.  But secretly, I like it.  I always try to act modest and like I don’t care, or like he’s embellishing the statistics a bit.  But deep down somewhere (probably not too deep), it does make me feel good. 

However, for the last couple years my husband and I have had a debate going.  His claim to friends and coworkers is that I am my alma mater’s all-time leading scorer.  He thinks the number of goals I racked up is a record that will stand for all of eternity.  As for myself, being a little more knowledgeable about the growth of women’s soccer in the United States, I tend to think that the “record” has probably already been broken and that it really wasn’t that big of a deal in the first place.  But the other day I got a curious streak in me about this very issue and decided to research it in order to put the matter to rest once and for all. 

Basically what I found was that nobody knows and nobody cares.  The statistics on my school’s athletic website only go back to 2006.  I played there from 1998-2002.  So there are at least 4 years of stats in there that I can’t account for, and no one currently at the school knows or cares where they are.  I know the girl that kept the stats for the team while I was there, and she was very meticulous about it.  But we were just a small no name school as far as women’s soccer was concerned.  So at best, those are on some jump drive somewhere in some junk drawer.  I was able to piece together the number of goals I scored while I was there, but I have no way of comparing that number that to the achievements of countless other athletes.  So my experiment left me both proud of my achievements and depressed that they didn’t matter. 

And then I got to thinking about what does matter.  I don’t really have any significant statistics attached to my name.  I was never a national champion or a valedictorian.  I don’t have a record number of children or dollars or prize winning recipes or anything.  I don’t think I’ve even invited that many people to Sunday School or stormed the gates of hell with a thousand new converts.  And I think MOST people would say the same.  I think even those that have would tell you those things don’t matter.  So what does matter?

As I was thinking about this, God brought to mind my sweet 4^th grade reading teacher.  What she did mattered.  I’ll never forget the day she pulled me out of class to remind me that Jesus loved me.  And that she loved me.  She could see that I was having a rough day and a hard time fitting in.  And she took the time to reaffirm to me that I was fearfully and wonderfully made.  She probably even broke several public school rules by mentioning the name of Jesus.  But it mattered. 

And then I thought about the principal I had who made sure to walk my sister and I home the day our house burned down.  His gentleness and empathetic presence was very comforting on a very bad day for our family.  That mattered. 

And then there was the PE teacher who made such a big deal about me running the shuttle run so fast (especially for a girl).  At the time I thought he was truly amazed by my performance when he tapped his stop watch to make sure it was working correctly when I was finished.  But looking back on it I know he was putting on a show.  But he took the time to pretend and it made me feel special.  That mattered.

Then there was the soccer coach who time after time reaffirmed my hard work and potential by comforting me when I thought I had failed and praising me when I achieved.  That mattered.

So if you ask me what matters I would say it’s taking time to love those right in front of you.  And if Jesus’ life was any indication of how he felt, I think he would say the same.  He always seemed to make those right in front of him his first priority.  He wasn’t distracted by schedules, to-do lists, numbers, or performance ratings, or trying to get somewhere on time.  He did things slowly and gently and deliberately took time to love those he came across at the point of their need.  As he was blazing the ministry trail, he made time to bounce the little children on his knee.  As he was thirsty, he made time to make sure an adulterous woman never would be again.  As he was hurting on the cross, he made time to make sure his mother would be comforted.  As he was taking on the very wrath of God, he made time to forgive the very ones responsible for that wrath.  The examples in the gospels are endless. 

So let us follow that example.  Because it doesn’t really matter how much money we make or how many likes we can get on facebook.  But maybe, just maybe, there might be a friend who could use a phone call.  Or a neighbor who needs their yard mowed.  Or a little boy or girl that would love to know someone thinks they’re special.  And they will remember it forever.  Because it matters to them.

Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'"