I’ve been living in a world of data lately with my job. As our ministry continues to grow and change, there is more data involved, as well. How many podcasts are being downloaded? What pages on our website get the most visits? Are people downloading our app? Is that translating into podcast downloads? How many people viewed the last reel?
Even if you’re not seeking to find data and metrics like these, they are available. I cannot post a podcast without seeing how many downloaded the last. I can’t view a reel without seeing the number of likes and comments. Our own lives can get very focused on data and metrics, as well. Scales, bank accounts, heart rate monitors, thermometers, glucometers, Facebook friend lists, calorie tracking apps – so many things in our lives give us data. Never before have people lived in a world where so much data has been accessible.
And data, in and of itself, isn’t negative. It’s what we choose to do with that data. Data can be a tool, but it cannot be the metric by which we measure the value of our lives. Our metric must be our relationship with Jesus. He is the One who gives us value and brings value to our lives.
So, what are our metrics?
I think it’s important to take our spiritual temperature. In this case, we want to be hot! In Revelation 3:16, we read, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” We don’t want to be spewed out. Only you know if your fire for the Lord is burning hot but it’s a metric we need to note. And, if we are lukewarm, and living a wishy-washy Christian life, or are cold and living away from Christ, we need to make a change.
Where do you spend your time?
We need to take measure of where we are spending our time. Are we intentionally spending time in God’s Word each day? I’d submit that quality time with God’s Word involves a Bible over a phone app, but that’s for another day. We’re told that the Holy Spirit will bring to our minds what we need when we need it (John 14:26), but if we have no scripture in our minds and hearts there will be nothing to bring forward. We’re instructed to be a “workman” that can “rightly divide the truth” (II Timothy 2:15), but if we don’t know God’s word, we cannot apply it to our lives. But more importantly, we read in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus is the Word, and if we want a relationship with Jesus that will transform our lives, we must be spending time in His Word.
How’s your prayer life?
We need to take measure of our prayer life. There’s no specific time requirement mentioned in God’s Word, but we know that Daniel prayed intentionally three times a day when things got very rough for him in captivity (Daniel 6:10). We are instructed to “pray without ceasing,” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and we see examples of this in Acts 12:5, Romans 1:9, and 2 Timothy 1:3. Prayer that doesn’t cease is intentional. Does your prayer life register on the prayer scale?
Is your diet clean?
We hear a lot about clean diets, and clean living, but we need to take stock of what we consume through our eyes and our ears, as well. What are we putting into our hearts? We read, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45). What are you consuming that is lodging in your heart (Matthew 12:34)? We wouldn’t intentionally eat trash or something that would poison us, but it’s so easy to consume media, TV, and books that contain the wrong kind of material that subsequently gets lodged in our hearts.
What’s coming out of your life?
The last metric is that of our service for the Lord. Now, we are not saved by our works (Ephesians 2:8-9), but we also read that we are created “in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). We are created to do good for others in order to show them Jesus. James 2:18 says, “shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” That’s a metric right there that is worth measuring. Are you showing off your faith with service for the Lord?
There’s no condemnation!
If we take stock of these metrics in our life, there is a real possibility that we may find that we aren’t measuring up to where we believe that Christ wants us to be. Thankfully, there is “no condemnation” in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). There is, though, a call to the abundant life (John 10:10). We are called to live big lives for Jesus. We’re called to live abundantly, in fellowship, service, and communion with Jesus.
If your metrics didn’t measure up to where you know they should be, take an assessment of your life, and pray that God would help you to make a change. Then, make the change. If we don’t take a step forward, nothing will change. But, praise be to God, we have this promise – “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8a). You are not taking steps alone. With each step you take to draw closer to Jesus, you’ll find Him.
Measure your life with the metrics that matter. Draw closer to Jesus and watch the rest of your life change, as well.
Remember, you are loved. Jesus loves you.
