What is the most important Thing?

I loved my Grandpa. He was the most gentle man I’ve ever known. That’s not to say he was weak. He was a man who stood by his convictions. He worked 15 acres of oranges by himself (except for picking) well into his 70’s. He was a farmer from a family of farmers. He fought in WW I, following the war he worked at a petroleum refinery until he had saved enough to buy the orange orchard. His passion was to see things grow. That included his oranges, garden and honey bees as well as his children and grandchildren.

Almost every summer, until I was old enough to get a job, I stayed several weeks with Grandma & Grandpa. Sometimes I would “help” with the tractor work, spraying weeds, extracting honey and irrigating. I was so proud to be “helping” my Grandpa. As I look back I realize that I really wasn’t much of a help. If the truth be told, he could have gotten his work done in half the time without “my help”. He took the extra time because he loved me and wanted me to become a man both he and I would be proud of. Although he was not perfect he had a good heart, a loving heart, a caring heart. I was proud to be his grandson and wanted to be like him.

Grandpa died 25 years ago yet the lessons he taught are still with me. I recall one time when my father asked me to do something and I botched it really good. Dad got angry but Grandpa said, “Son, you had to learn that too. Take time to teach him.” That was my Grandpa and I loved him. I still miss him today.

I thought about him because 2 weeks ago was his birthday. In the mid 1970’s, when I was stationed with the US Air Force on the island of Crete, he wrote and asked me a question, “What, other than God, who is love, is the most important thing in life?” Typical Grandpa! I was half way around the world and he wanted to teach me something! I contemplated that question for countless hours. No matter what I came up with, it seemed it all boiled down to God, who is love. When I returned to the states, I asked him what the answer was and in typical fashion, he said “Keep thinkin’ on it and you’ll figure it out.” For the last 35 years I’ve been “thinkin’ on it”. I still don’t have an answer! To be honest, I’m not sure there is “one” answer.

I’m 60 now and come from long lived people and expect to be around another 25 or 30 years. Will I ever know the answer or will I still be “thinkin’ on” that question for the next 30 years. Or is it that always looking for truth is what is important. Is it the “seeking with the whole heart” that is the crux of the matter.

Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV) says "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” The tense of the verb indicates continual action and probably could be better translated “ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking.” Why is this?

I told my daughter awhile back that when we accept Christ we are adopted into the family. We are then His kids, part of His family. From that point on it is a matter of maturity. We don’t learn everything we need to learn when we are babies. At every stage of our development, in both the physical and spiritual, we learn the things we need for that stage. God doesn’t infuse us with all the wisdom and knowledge we need when we are born. He teaches us like my Grandpa taught me, by taking time and teaching us what we need to know. Letting us learn at our own pace and not getting angry while we are trying. It takes time, it takes a lifetime!

Don’t misunderstand, God does get angry. But not at his children who are trying! His anger is toward those who misrepresent Him, His kingdom, and His kids! Are you trying? Then keep on trying. You’ll get there. When (not if) you mess up, even mess up real bad, He has an answer in 1 John 1:9 (NLT) “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. “ You see, we are His kids and He loves us even more than we love our own kids and grandkids.

Oh by the way, what do you think the most import thing is, other than God, who is Love?