A New and Better Feast
Relevance: The quality of being directly connected with and important to something else
I’ve been doing a little wrestling match with the word relevance today. As a freelance journalist I’m generally on the lookout for what is relevant for today’s reader. What is the latest trend, news story, and what has gone viral. These are questions that are valid and important for readership.
I’ve noticed that much is the same for blogging. We are searching out what is the hot topic for the week and what might be useful to address. What are people “liking” and reposting, etc. It’s good to be aware of what others find interesting or powerful so that we might encourage or challenge one another (when done graciously, of course).
The more I write, however, the more I realize what is truly relevant to me isn’t the latest headline and isn’t the hot topic of the day. In private, when I am reading on my own, I might search those things out to discover and learn, but I’m not meditating on them. At least that has been the case over the past month and was prior to this month.
But in January I found myself skipping my time with the Lord to try to catch up on blogs. By the end of the day I would be discouraged and heavy laden. I was carrying burdens and worrying about events, people, and topics that weren’t on my radar before. There is an aspect of reading and being aware that is truly good. I can adjust my prayers, solidify my convictions, and even write in hopes to encourage those who might be wary about a particular event or topic. But if you feast on blogs, you will surely be discouraged.
Feasting on what is truly relevant
This month I’ve taken a different approach to my reading habits. I’m no longer feasting on everything on the world wide web. I’m finding myself being comfortable with my irrelevance. I’m okay with not knowing the latest and greatest issues and how everyone is responding to them. I’ve returned to my first love, God’s Word, and remembering what is truly relevant.
I’m still a writer and journalist and I will continue to read, but I will no longer feast. I’m going to take the wise advice given in Proverbs 15 and seek knowledge found in God’s Word that brings peace and tranquility. I won’t hide away from the hard stories and tough discussions, but I will fix my eyes on Jesus and fill my cup with the better and only way, truth, and life. Stories will come and go, what is an issue today will be gone tomorrow. But Jesus is eternal, His kingdom will stand forever, and He will forever be needed. The gospel is what is truly relevant, because it is the quality of being directly connected with and important to something else: God.
RELATED CONTENT
Your family is invited to learn more about the accomplishments and adversities of twelve noteworthy African American believers, including Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Freeman, Harriet Tubman, and some others you don’t know but should.