The Thanksgiving season tends to make us think about the things that really matter.
I know that in 100 years it will not matter if I drove an expensive car or a cheap car. It will not matter if I lived in a mansion or in a shack. In 100 years it will not matter if I shopped at Nordstrom or Goodwill. It will not matter if I bought my makeup from Sephora or from SaveMart.
I read a quote this week by theologian Abraham Kuyper. It said, "There are two kinds of beauty. There is the beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers like a flower. And there is a beauty which God grants. That kind of beauty never vanishes, but blooms eternally."
Eternity seems like a long time to me. It's easy for us to get discouraged, wondering why we do what we do. We entertain thoughts such as, "Someone else, surely, is more talented than I am. That women looks happier than I do. That chick over there has better health than I do. So-and-So makes a lot more money than me."
I know my life however, is woven into a longer tapestry of God's plan, than I can see, when I choose to live for Him.
You cannot use external circumstances to measure your life. Galatians 2:6 says, "As for those who seemed to be important - whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance..."
The impact of your life reaches beyond your earthly time span.
A few days ago, my friend's dad passed away. He was always an example of godly strength and integrity in her life and he always seemed to have all the answers. But as he lay in his hospital bed with family gathering near, one lingering question remained. He whispered to her, "I'm just trying to figure out how to get there."
We don't consider often enough, the importance of how to get there. It's what you do day in and day out, the choices you make, that matter. What you do matters to your spouse. What you do matters to your children. What you do matters to future generations. What you do matters to God. The choices you make today, impact people long after we are gone.
Living a life full of thanksgiving, marked by integrity, and rich with compassion is what really matters and ultimately, what makes a difference in how we get there.
• Connie Friend is staff pastor at Capital Christian Center.