It’s not who you know, it’s who you know
When you’re standing before God on judgment day it won’t be important who you know, but who you know. Do you know Him?
Life lessons in missed deadlines
After college my first job was as a staff accountant with an accounting firm. Without exception, the firm expected staff to sit for the CPA exam until certified. It’s a daunting task to prepare for an exam covering such an extensive amount of material. Most staff, myself included spent months if not years preparing. Imagine how crushed I was when I realized I missed the application deadline for the exam date I had selected. Knowing it would be another six months before I could apply again was devastating. One of the partners of the firm who had served at the State level placed a call on my behalf. He simply asked them to reconsider my application. What was impossible for me took him one phone call. I learned a valuable life lesson. Sometimes it’s important who you know.
Who you know and how well you know them
Today I am often approached by people asking me to intervene on their behalf. I am fortunate to be the Chief Financial Officer of a large hospital with several thousand employees and generating over $100,000,000 per year in earnings. Weekly, people contact me requesting jobs, professional references, the opportunity to sell products or services to my hospital, or provide introductions to other key leaders, just to name a few. On occasion I’m able to pay it forward by helping someone else out when it makes sense. Frequently though you have to learn to say, “Sorry I can’t help you.” no matter how well you know them. Naturally the better you know someone, the deeper your willingness to go out of your way to try to help. Sometimes it’s important who you know as well as how well you know them.
“… I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me…’
A sobering example of this concept is found in Matthew 7:21-23 where Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” There are professing christians that will not be allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven. And not just run of the mill believers either, but some involved in ministry. Can you imagine? There will be those who perform miracles that miss heaven! And all because He doesn’t know them.
It’s not who you know, it’s who you know
So let me ask you, do you know Him? I mean really know Him? Do you have a deep personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ? That’s the unexplainable, incomprehensible, truth of the Gospel. God loves you so much He sent His son to die a sinners death so that a debt you could never pay would be satisfied. For reasons beyond our comprehension, God loves us and desires to know each and every one of us on a personal level. He wants to be your very best friend. And once you ask Him to come into your life, He will never leave you or forsake you. No matter what life throws at you, He will be right there with you in your corner.
Come to the Father
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6). At the end of the ages, it’s going to be paramount, who you know. When you’re standing before God on judgment day it won’t be important who you know, but who you know. Do you know Him? If you don’t know for sure then let me invite you to finally come to the Father. Just pray this simple prayer, “Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins. I believe you died on the cross and rose again. Please come into my life and save me. Wash my sins away with your precious blood. From this day forward, I am yours and you are mine. In your matchless name, amen!” Jesus promises us, if we confess him before men he will confess us before our Father in heaven (Matthew 10:32). If you do pray I’d love to hear from you, but if not here then call someone and let them know about the commitment you made to follow Christ today!
