“…And Joshua said to them, Go over to the middle of the Jordan in front of the ark of the Lord your God, and each of you take a stone on your shoulder according to the number of the tribes of Israel, so that it may be a sign among you when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ (Joshua 4:5,6).
Is there a ring on your finger that has more meaning than just the size of the ring? Maybe there is. And we also treasure many other things that have significance far beyond their physical size: photographs, mementos, mementos, and so on. An antique sofa and an album of kids’ photos may both be irreplaceable, but if the house were burning down, most of us (at least the moms among us) would take the kids’ photos to save them, and not just because they’re easier to carry!
Take the time to figure out what things mean. Years later, there wouldn’t be many people in Israel who would know what the pile of rocks on the West Bank of Jordan meant. But those who took the time to find out will be rewarded with some knowledge that was both interesting and beneficial. These days, most of us are so busy with our own little things that we rarely stop to ask the meaning of even the most important things around us. But we are the losers when we fail to ask, “What does this mean?”
Take time to understand the meaning of things. In relation to God, there are many events, rituals, and even physical objects (what about your own Bible?) that have deep meanings attached to them. Do we appreciate them? Do we count them among our treasures? We need to be careful that we never become so tired that the meaningful things in life seem stale or boring.
Teach your children what things mean. We do our children a disservice when we let them reach maturity without teaching them what the really important things in life mean. Meaning has to be handed down, and so it is the privilege and responsibility of each generation to see that its young learn what those who have gone before have found meaningful.
Some things are inherently valuable; this is what they do Meaning To someone who makes them like that. So meanings are very important, and we would do well to spend more time thinking about them.
“The smallest things in life that have no meaning have more value than the biggest things that have no meaning” (Carl Jung).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com AreYouaChristian.com
