I preached a sermon two weeks ago called The Search for Significance. I don’t know if I’m the only Pastor that feels this way but I always think that I learn the most when I preach/teach. I’m still pondering what significance looks like as a servant of Jesus so perhaps this post is a kind of add-on to my message. (By the way, if you would like to listen to that message or any of our others, most podcast platforms support us. Look for Harvest Community Church – Kingsport Tennessee.)

I began the message with a dictionary definition of the word significant: “large enough to be noticed or have an effect”. I seem to be fixated on the word “or” from that definition. Note that the definition doesn’t say “large enough to be noticed and have an effect”. That would be ideal in our service to God, wouldn’t it? Who wouldn’t want to do life-changing work for God and have everyone around us see it and applaud it? That is natural (or of the flesh) but Jesus wants us to mature in Him and elevate to the deep heart desire of the “or”, i.e., only to have an effect and not care if anyone except God ever knows about it.

During Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount He taught on this very subject in Matthew 6: 1-18. He took the three common Jewish practices of giving, praying, and fasting, and warned that it is hypocrisy to do those things in public so that others see our good works. Jesus also warns that there will be no reward from God because we sought our righteousness from people. Those are tough words but they are crucial for our spiritual growth. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot remain believers and still place the admiration of people in the mix. We will be left forever lukewarm and not satisfied in either placement. As with so many things we must make a choice of where we will seek our affections.

In His brilliance, Jesus tells us in the very next set of verses what the wise choice is for us. In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus instructs us to store up our treasure in heaven where it can’t be destroyed. In other words He is telling us that we should seek being effective for the Kingdom of God because that will be of lasting value (make us significant). As always, Jesus’ instructions are for our protection. He doesn’t want us to be chained to the temporary and capricious appreciation of the world. No amount of worldly accolades will be able to fuel a hungry ego.

In my younger years as a believer I sought the attention and appreciation of people. I was being driven by my ego/flesh and wanted the “and” of ministry. I can’t begin to tell you how much freedom and joy I experienced once I matured to the point of becoming desperately interested in serving Him and storing up treasure in heaven. The irony is that I receive a lot more complements and attention now than I ever did when that was my goal! I always appreciate kind words but they aren’t my source of nourishment. I want to be effective and significant for the Kingdom of God but I want to do it for His sake and not my own.

God’s plan for your life is not to deny you good things. His plan is to give you opportunities for the best things! The best things are not the things of this fleeting world where “moths and vermin destroy” (Matthew 6:19). The best things are peace, joy, satisfaction, love, and integrity and those riches can only be attained by taking our eyes off of ourselves and fixing them on Him. Choose the “or” of effectiveness and your life will become more significant than you ever imagined.