What matters most?

“Nothing matters more than what I want being achieved today.” This is what we think often. Our work, tasks to process, harvest to gather, a paper to write, a healing to experience, a difficult relationship to mend, safety and comfort to be found in unfamiliar territory.

But there are exceptions, there is something that matters more than the result you seek. This is what I learned today from a teaching by Jesus. Here it is: “…if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and while there you remember that your brother has something [such as a grievance or legitimate complaint] against you, leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.” (Matthew 5: 23,24. AMP)

​I can see that the offering to be laid on the altar is something like the achievement or result that I seek. And Jesus, I think, is telling us, that this is not as important as the way we do it.

“Nothing matters more than what I want being achieved today” – has exceptions. Like: Kindness, the willingness to grow, community, how I drive to my next appointment, trust, real quality of the work, honest self-esteem, loving ourselves exactly in the same way and the same manner as we do our fellow sister and brother. Does the honesty of service lead to better and more diligent and peaceful work? Do kindness and peacemaking pave the way to healing?

While we think about “our day” it is actually “God’s day” – a day belonging to continuous Life and unconditional Love. It seems that everything matters more than the result on the altar. Kindness. And the offering will bloom and glow as a bouquet of tulips, effortlessly.