In the End

Working for an advertising agency means that I work with a lot of young folks; in fact, I work with several young people who are the same age as my children. I know ... weird, right? And yes, sometimes it makes me feel old to realize that I am twice as old as some of my co-workers. But I also think sometimes that working with younger people encourages me to remember what it's like to be young, and I hope that perhaps it helps to keep me somewhat young at heart. Working with young creative types in the world of advertising also means that they come and go with more frequency than most other fields. They are always moving from one agency to another, for the opportunity to work on a client they feel is more glitzy or challenging, or for an increase in salary. In fact, just last week, two young gals in our office announced they were leaving to pursue other opportunities.

As I chatted with one of the girls after the office was told of her impending departure, she said something that has made me think ... a lot. She said that in the end, you make the best decision you can with the knowledge and information you have and pray that things work out. Yep, pretty wise for someone so young, I'd say. Her words, together with the words from a friend in an email this week and a conversation I had this morning with a younger friend ... one whom I haven't had the chance to just sit and have a long talk with for a while ... have made me realize this evening that God had a big lesson in mind for me this week, a lesson so important that He kept presenting it to me in different forms from very different people.

One of the most difficult parts of my journey through the last couple of years has been coming to the realization that I had become proud ... very proud ... and that God's plan for me included breaking my stubborn will and my prideful spirit. My mom would have said it like this ... God needed to bring me down a few notches. I was arrogant in my skill as a speaker; I was proud of my ability as a writer; I was downright cocky about how many people wanted to be friends with me. Yep, I was proud alright ... proud and arrogant ... and God has brought me down more than a few notches. It's not fun to be humbled, not fun at all. But I know that it's necessary, and that it's because He loves me more than I can ever possibly understand.

You see, friends, in the end, it doesn't matter how many times I stand on a stage and speak if I don't give all the glory and honor to God. In the end, it doesn't matter if I write a book that sells 10 million copies if I don't understand that every word on every page comes from Him and that I am nothing but a scribe. In the end, it doesn't matter how popular I am if I don't realize that the most important relationship I will ever have is the one with my Lord. In the end, so many things simply do not matter. So often, I try to make myself believe it matters how I look or feel or act or talk when in reality ... in the end, all that really matters is how I love ... how I love God and how I love others. Someone said to me recently that it's never a sin to love. Think about those words ... it's never a sin to love ... those are deep words, searching words, convicting words, life-changing words ... it's never a sin to love. God puts no conditions on love ... we do. God places no parameters on love ... we do. God sets no limits on love ... we do.

In the end, all that really matters is how I love ... how I love God and how I love others. God looks at my heart ... God knows my heart ... in the end, all that really matters is how I love.

"'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22: 36-39