What really matters?

Just a quick post today, as I'm in the middle of an extremely time consuming assignment! In the midst of trying to work my way through a study of the arrest of Jesus in the gospels, reading about the differences, similarities, traditions, influences, theologies (etc etc) associated with the four gospel writers versions of this event, I've been thinking alot about this question... "What really matters?"
Part of that could be because sitting still for hours on end, reading complicated studies of a few verses from the bible and trying to formulate my own conclusions is not really my thing. So I've found myself hoping that this painful process ends up being worthwhile and 'matters' in the long run.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy studying the bible and look forward to studying and sharing insights with others for the rest of my life. But if you were to ask me to become an academic and go to this level of study and beyond as a career, I'd ask you for plan B!
The thing is, its obvious that the scholars who write these books love what they do, and do it well! And it helps us struggling students to get a bit better of an understanding than we already have. But if everyone became an academic... well that just won't happen. Neither will everyone be a confident leader, or a great administrator, or dedicate their life to the elderly, or serve the poor in third world countries, or become a pastor, etc. etc.
I think what really matters, is what matters to God.
"Of course," you say. What I mean by that is if we try and spend our lives doing something other than what God has gifted us to do... then is it worth it? And if we don't recognise the value of someone elses gifts, even when they are completely different from our own, can we really grow and learn what it means to be a Christian, a part of the Body of Christ?
Anyway, there's some random thoughts for this week. With a bit of luck, this time next week my brain will be functioning back on the 'normal' setting again.
Peace.

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