If any man’s work . . . remains, he shall receive a reward (1
Corinthians 3:14).

Significance is a time issue. What is forgotten in time is of
little significance. What is remembered for eternity is of great
significance. Paul wrote to Timothy: “Discipline yourself for the
purpose of godliness . . . since it holds promise for the present
life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7, 8). If you
want to increase your significance, focus your energies on
significant activities: those which will remain for eternity.

Brian was a pastor of a small church who attended one of my
classes at the seminary. He was in his mid-thirties and married
when he found out he had cancer. The doctors gave him less than
two years to live.

One day Brian came to talk to me. “Ten years ago somebody gave a
prophecy about me in church,” he began. “They said I was going to
do a great work for God. I’ve led a few hundred people to Christ,
but I haven’t had a great work for God yet. Do you think God is
going to heal me so the prophecy can be fulfilled?”

My mouth dropped open in shock. “You’ve led a few hundred people
to Christ and don’t think you have accomplished a great work for
God? Brian, I know some big-name pastors in large churches who
can’t make that claim. I know some great theologians who have
probably never led anyone to Christ. If a few hundred people are
believers today because of you, and they have influenced who
knows how many other people for Christ, I’d call that a great
work for God.” (Brian is now with the Lord, having completed his
significant ministry of reaching hundreds for Christ.)

As children of God, we are in the significant business of
collecting treasures for eternity. What we do and say for Christ,
no matter how insignificant it seems in this world, will last
forever. There are no insignificant children of God, because our
life is eternal.

Lord, I desire to use wisely the time You have allotted to me.
May my life count for gold, silver and precious jewels, not wood,
hay and stubble.

This daily devotional is published and distributed by
http://www.GOSHEN.net/ . It is written by Neil Anderson at
http://www.freedominchrist.com/ .