HONOURING WHAT GOD VALUES

People place value on many different things. Success, status, possessions, influence, comfort, and achievement often receive significant attention in the world around us. Yet when Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He directed people's attention to something far more important. Rather than speaking about position or accomplishment, He spoke about love.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Everything begins there. Before service, ministry, leadership, or any outward expression of faith, there must first be a genuine love for God. Christianity is not primarily about religious activity. It is about relationship.

The second commandment naturally flows from the first. Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” A heart that genuinely loves God will increasingly reflect that love in the way it treats others. The vertical relationship with God and the horizontal relationship with people cannot be separated for very long.

This is where many people struggle. It is possible to become focused on religious duties while neglecting the things that matter most to God. The Pharisees knew the Law, yet they often missed the heart behind it. They were concerned with appearances while Jesus continually pointed people back to love, mercy, faithfulness, and obedience from the heart.

This truth is reflected in MICAH 6:8 (ESV), which says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” God is not impressed by outward activity that is disconnected from a transformed heart. He desires a people who love Him and reflect His character in the way they live.

Honouring what God values requires regular examination of our priorities. It is easy to become consumed with things that seem urgent while neglecting things that are truly important. We can become busy without becoming fruitful. We can become active without becoming spiritually healthy.

Jesus continually demonstrated what mattered most to the Father. He valued people. He showed compassion to the hurting, grace to the broken, and truth to those who needed direction. He never lowered God's standards, but He consistently revealed God's heart.

The Christian life is not about trying to earn God's approval. Through Christ, believers have already been welcomed into God's family. The response to that grace is a growing desire to honour the things that God honours. As our relationship with Him deepens, our values begin to change. Things that once seemed important lose their grip, while things that matter to God become increasingly important to us.

This is why COLOSSIANS 3:2 (ESV) says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” God continually calls His people to lift their eyes beyond temporary concerns and focus on eternal realities.

Every day we make decisions about what we will value most. We choose where our attention goes, where our energy goes, and where our hearts are invested. The question is whether those priorities reflect the heart of God.

When we learn to love what God loves and value what God values, we begin to see life from a different perspective. We discover that the things most important to Him are ultimately the things that matter most.