01 Jun What is our Ultimate Significance? – June 12

By Stephanie Tanubrata

Taking our kids to sporting activities, enrolling them to extracurricular studies can often lead to a particular achievement we want them to accomplish – whether that is an academic or sporting achievement, there is a type of significance we want for our children. While this is well and truly an important accomplishment

– what does Paul mean when he says “What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short…” (1 Corinthians 7:29)

The NIV Study Bible examines Paul’s above statement by commenting that “Christians already live under the foreshadowing of Christ’s return, when the world in its present form will pass away. For this reason, believers should not treat present realities as having ultimate significance.” So what does ultimate significance mean for our children?

In Romans 13:11-12 it says “…For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed… So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” This highlight that time is short and thus a motivation to a Godly living. A Godly living that is focused on Christ-mattered and eternal things. Having considered Paul’s encouragement above, how are we leading our children to live?

Being a Kids Church teacher for 7 years, I have observed 3 areas where our children can be encouraged to live a Godly life:

1. Investment: what and how are we encouraging our children to invest their time, love and energy into a Godly living? I’m a firm believer in investing into children’s sporting pursuits, academic endeavors and everything else in between. But having said that, investing in our children a Godly living, which will result in eternal pursuits, is as significant as any other.

2. Training: what and how are we teaching our children when it comes to healthy priorities, strong values and Christian attitudes? I believe

the home is the best place a child can be trained and taught. A supportive home that welcomes training and experience for a child to understand and pursue eternal things – is a home where children will live a life of ultimate significance.

3. Exposure: what are our children exposed to in terms of media? How are we encouraging them to understand healthy world perspectives? I’m a passionate world news consumer! Exposure to world news allows world perspectives to develop and when our children are as firmly exposed

to the Word of God – they can be influential participants in this world through exposing a Godly living.

Having understood what Paul meant by time is short – that ultimate significance is from a Godly, eternal focused living – how are we investing, training and exposing our children to best set them up for a life of ultimate significance?

“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17)