If one is to be successful in his attempts to please God, he must work to internalize the views and values that God has. In a nutshell, he must try to think and act in a righteous way; he must strive to imitate Jesus the Christ (I Cor. 11:1). Admittedly, it is impossible for us to understand many things about the Lord and His ways because He is superior to us in every way (Isa. 55:9). Nevertheless, we can study and understand that which the Scriptures reveal. We can know from the Bible that God values certain qualities (such as mercy, truth, and love), and He despises other qualities (such as hypocrisy, materialism, and pride). He views some things as important (such as His church and the eternal spirits of men), and He views other things as trivial (such as our physical possessions and worldly accomplishments). But, the real question is: How do we view things? Do we value that which God values, or do we value that which He deems trivial or perhaps that which He despises? If something disturbs God, does it disturb us? It should.
Let's consider some examples. Please think on the following questions as I share them, and answer them as honestly as you can.
It is easy to know what God's views are in regard to those ten questions, but what about our views? Do you care more about your possessions than the souls of the lost and the spread of the gospel? Does your hobby or occupation take priority over your relationship with God? Do you put more effort into planning your vacation or leisure time than you do your eternal destiny? Friends, do you value the things that God values? If not, how can you live a life that is pleasing to Him? Sometimes it is difficult to be truthful with ourselves and admit that we are a far cry from being more like the Lord in what we value and in what disturbs us. None of us are perfect, and without a doubt there is room for improvement in all of us. May we never forget that truth and become satisfied with our current level of spiritual maturity.