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10 Minutes Peace

    by Susan McGrath

"Who Do You Know?"
Date Posted: January 17, 2004

Watching a televised funeral a few months ago for a U.S. Senator who spent almost 50 years in office, through the terms of ten different presidents, and watching one recently for a well-known senator from my own state, I thought about how many important people they knew in their lifetimes.

There were probably many "ordinary" people who wanted to meet or get to know these men only for that reason -- they had connections, influence, power, wealth to some extent. All this could put someone on the path to a great career or successful business.

Who wouldn't want the opportunity to be in their inner circle.Most of us are impressed by, or at least would like to experience for a short time, what a position like that brings.

Young kids are even more easily impressed. It doesn't take a celebrity or star athlete. The kids at the grade school where I work get excited over the arrival of high school students who come to help out for class credit. Richie and Erin are superstars to them!

Though celebrities may not push our buttons, what about those with popularity or authority in our community or church? How often have we seen someone (perhaps us) go out of their way to impress the preacher?

Yet what can any of these people do for us? Perhaps make us feel important or give us some advantage in this world. But as Paul writes as he is imprisoned for sharing the gospel, "That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." -- 2 Timothy 1:12

Wow! That's something even a United States senator or president can't provide.

It's easy to forget that who and what we know is not as important as who and what we are. As Christians we are part of a large body of believers and ambassadors for Christ to those around us.

When we leave this life, as the senators did, it will not matter what former or current presidents speak at our funerals. It will not matter how many people read our books or if our names and faces were recognized by the world. In fact, it will only matter that we knew one person -- Jesus Christ, and that we introduced others to Him because of who He is!

I love the T-shirt that says "It's who you know that determines where you go!" That may be true to some extent in life on earth, but it is unquestionably true for eternity! Let's remember to focus every day on our relationship with the only who will make a difference eternally.

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." -- Philippians 3:10-11

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Biography Information:
Susan McGrath is:

a recovering journalist trying to encourage others and glorify God through writing;

living the small-town life with husband Tim and sons Lincoln, 12, and Sawyer, 6;

completing a few put-off writing projects while using chocolate for therapy.
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