Nothing else matters

I read a verse from Hebrews today, and it humbled me in areas that I never even noticed that I had harbored and nurtured pride. 

The passage was about a high priest named Melchizedek. The name means "the king of righteousness" and the "king of peace" (Hebrews 7:2). The passage that particularly interested me, was the verse that came right after the mention of the meaning behind Melchizedek's name. 

"Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever." (Hebrews 7:3) 

This verse was so interesting to me because it showed how the only thing that matters for a believer is one's resemblance to the Son of God. 

As a daughter of a pastor and the eldest of eight children, I considered my upbringing somewhat special and unique. My father and mother are both from famous tourist areas in Japan with some of the most interesting historical sites that can be found here in Japan. These random things, related to my genealogy, have always made me pretty proud of myself and my family. 

But here in this passage from Hebrews, the priest Melchizedek is described as a truly great priest, and interestingly, nothing about his family or bloodline contributed to him receiving these words. Not his birth, upbringing, nor his life span contributed to him being acknowledged with such greatness. 

The only thing that mattered, the only thing that gave any worth was that he resembled the Son of God. 

Do we resemble the Son of God? Do our actions, our thoughts, our desires, our choices resemble the actions, thoughts, desires, and choices of our Lord Jesus Christ? 

Nothing else matters, other than the resemblance with the Son of God. 

It's easy for us, even as believers, to become prideful with all the other things about ourselves, our skills, our upbringing, our experiences, our popularity, etc. It is easy for us to find worth in these things. We are also prone to thinking the opposite as well: to fall into the pit of self-pity, to feel so worthless, and lose any sense of self-affirmation. We get caught up in these thoughts centered around 'ourselves', but the truth is, that none of these things matter. 

Nothing else matters other than the resemblance with Jesus. 

The only thing that matters is that Jesus Christ is being created in us. We are a new creation. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) Do we truly believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, renewing us from the inside out? Are we willing to let Him take control of our lives, in ALL areas of our lives? 

I pray today, that we will find our worth in Him. I pray that we will able to view ourselves and our neighbors as from the eyes of our Father. I pray that we will choose to be humbled by the Lord, and surrender our lives to Him in repentance. I pray that we will see Jesus Christ interceding for us before the Father, through his own sacrifice. 

"but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Hebrews 7:24-25)