Lasting Importance

We had an election on Tuesday. Some are enjoying the thrill of victory, while others are licking their wounds.

We recently crowned a new World Series champion. Houston Astros fans celebrated; Philadelphia Phillies fans lamented.

I enjoy watching football on television. I cheer when my team wins and I hurt when my team loses.

While we dwell on the wins and losses in our lives, God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, has an important message for us:

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.[1]

These things that we now think are so important, like sports and politics, or even jobs and possessions, will one day be of no importance whatsoever. They will not be remembered, or even cross our minds.

Money, fame, power, sex, winning—these are things the world thinks are important. But Paul tells us that we are not to be conformed to this world.[2] Part of growing in spiritual maturity is realizing what is truly important in this life—and what is not. Paul tells us that only three things have lasting importance: faith, hope, and love.[3]

Faith refers to faith in God and in Christ, for we are saved by God’s grace because of our faith.[4] Hope means hope for a life beyond this earthly one, for “if we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied.”[5] And love encompasses our love for God and our love for others, which are the two greatest commandments.[6]

It’s easy to fall into the trap of valuing what the world values. But those things are transitory. In 10,000 years, no one will remember, or care, who won the 2022 election or the 2023 Super Bowl, or whether you got that promotion at work.

What will be of immense and lasting importance will be whether you had faith in Christ, hope for eternal life, and love for God and other people.

[1] Isaiah 65:17

[2] Romans 12:2

[3] 1 Corinthians 13:13

[4] Ephesians 2:8

[5] 1 Corinthians 15:19

[6] Matthew 22:35-40