Three shirts on sale are better than one at full price.
It’s hard to say no when asked to participate in something good.
A million followers sounds better than one.
This January I felt the deep need to take a step back and rest in the quiet for a month or so. To just listen to what God had for me. It was clear I was in need of a re-alignment. It’s not that I was far off track, but the hamster wheel was spinning faster than I could keep up and stay fresh. Priorities had shifted, focus had shifted and my purpose felt muddy. God rewarded this quiet time with three words to re-focus me. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.
These words seemed to be given in respect to this blog, but as I chewed on the phrase I realized they are about everything.
Quantity, at least for me, starts to bring separation. Separation from Christ.
I remember the first time I read the account of King David calling for a census to be taken of his people. A census seems harmless, and they are…when the motive is pure. David’s motive was self serving pride. He wanted to sit back and see a concrete number that would define his power. Note his being David’s power, not God’s. There in lies the problem. In fact we are told in 1st Chronicles that it was Satan himself that tempted David to take the census and David took the bait. Against wise counsel. He flexed his power and moved into sin.
Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 1 Chronicles 21:1
He was putting his value in quantity. A number he could boast in and say, “look what I did.” He paid a price for that sin and others paid it as well. Sin always has consequences.
Now you may be thinking how does this apply to quality over quantity? When I read this it was clear we live in a world that constantly takes a census. Blogs and social media in particular quickly become about the numbers. How many followers do you have? How many pageviews? How many likes? How many re-pins? ALL modern day censuses. At the tip of our fingers, beckoning us daily to see where we sit, where our hard work has gotten us, do people like us, to check and see if our voice resonates with others. All these questions and the answers we seek have God nowhere in the equation.
Honestly, I don’t look at Pinterest and say, wow God you are good! Look at how you are sharing your message. I look at the numbers and worry about the latest algorithm, pin strategy or whatever hot topic is going on in social media. Shame on me. I am no different than David.
We census in our personal life too. How much money is in the bank, how many friends do we have, how many friends have good marriages, bad marriages, happy kids…the list goes on. All these comparison questions we throw out are a number collection mission that gets us nowhere good….fast. We aren’t looking to our neighbors for sincere concern of their well being, we are looking to see how we measure up. If four out of five marriages I know are having a rough patch and mine is ok then I must be doing good, right?
No. That says nothing about the quality of my marriage, it just states comparison statistics.
If we have more than someone we pat ourself on the back, if we have less then we beat ourself up. Quantity, quantity, quantity. Again, no God.
The fact comes clear that quantity means very little. Numbers are empty. None of these numbers hold eternal value. Christ doesn’t care if you have as many followers as a Kardashian. He cares about quality, our purity of heart.
their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 1 Corinthians 3:13
We won’t be judged by how much we do, or how much we do compared to others, but instead by the quality of what we do. And we all are supposed to do something.
Often, I see stories of families adopting orphans from across the globe, missionaries living in grass huts sharing the gospel and it makes this little blog feel well, little.
The truth of the matter is I am doing what I am called to do and comparing my call to others and deeming their work to be of greater sacrifice or quantity than mine is diminishing the quality of what I am called to do. As if there is a rating on sharing God’s word.
Do you ever feel that way?
That what you do isn’t quantitative enough so why bother?
Satan just smiled. He loves to tempt us and win.
That lie is allowing quantity to rule over quality.
Here is where quality trumps quantity:
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:4-7
It’s all about one.
The quality of God’s love is never a numbers game. He wants each person as an individual. He forgoes the masses to seek out the one lost soul. Nowhere else on Earth do we find love like this and friends, it extrapolates into everything.
One treasure is better than a bunch of stuff.
One amazing shirt is better than three ok ones.
One best friend you can count on is better than a dozen acquaintances.
One volunteer commitment done whole heartedly is better than a resume full of half hearted attempts.
One saved soul is better than a million empty followers.
What does this phrase mean to you? Does it strike a chord? Do you see an area that calls for a purge in quantity in exchange for a focus on quality? I hope these three words stir in you the way they have in me. I hope they cause you to nurture a project or relationship instead of spreading yourself thin. I hope they encourage you to focus on what you are called to do, no matter how big or small this world deems it.
Do what you do and do it well.
Enjoy your free printable to remind you of the one.
Check out ways to display it here. Note: The download does not contain a watermark. If you enjoy making your own printable art, may I suggest these awesome commercial licensed fonts! (affiliate link)
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9 Comments
Love this post, Kim!
This resounds with my heart today!
Like this quote, “The quality of God’s love is never a numbers game.” I’m so grateful!
Sharing your post today.
Hope you have a blessed Monday~
Melanie
Thank you for writing this message today . I feel sure that it spoke to many as it spoke to me.
You are blessed with a wonderful talent for decorating and sharing with all your readers and now He has given you a blog to share His word.
No small blog! !
Thanks again
Thank you – I am more than blessed this message spoke to you. I was feeling very unsure of it, so it is nice to know it resonated with you! Thanks for reaching out, I sincerely appreciate it!
Thank you for the encouragement not to compare myself and truly be thankful for what I have and have been blessed with by the Lord. My 3 siblings, who I dearly love, are all married and have nicer things than I have and seem not to struggle financially. I am divorced and often times live paycheck to paycheck. Lately, I have been in a spiritual warfare not to compare myself to my siblings’ lifestyles. I need to continually remember to be content with everything that I have because the Lord has blessed me in so many, many ways such as having 4 wonderful, grown children, 6 precious grandchildren, many friends and very little debt.
One of the best things I have heard lately and am constantly repeating to myself is, “if you don’t have it right now then you don’t need it right now” God is our supplier and if we are supposed to have more of anything…money, relationships, material things he will provide them, if not we are right where He wants us to be for the moment, It has really helped me let some things go. It’s a hard battle though! You sound abundantly blessed and close to Him, right where you should be!
Love this post, Kim!
This resounds with my heart today!
Like this quote, “The quality of God’s love is never a numbers game.” I’m so grateful!
Sharing your post today.
Hope you have a blessed Monday~
Melanie
thank you Melanie – I always appreciate the sharing, but am more grateful the message was meaningful to you!
Just what I needed today. Great Message.
grateful heart right here. blessings
Thank you for writing this message today . I feel sure that it spoke to many as it spoke to me.
You are blessed with a wonderful talent for decorating and sharing with all your readers and now He has given you a blog to share His word.
No small blog! !
Thanks again
Thank you – I am more than blessed this message spoke to you. I was feeling very unsure of it, so it is nice to know it resonated with you! Thanks for reaching out, I sincerely appreciate it!
Yes, yes, YES!!! To everything! Great post!
Thank you for the encouragement not to compare myself and truly be thankful for what I have and have been blessed with by the Lord. My 3 siblings, who I dearly love, are all married and have nicer things than I have and seem not to struggle financially. I am divorced and often times live paycheck to paycheck. Lately, I have been in a spiritual warfare not to compare myself to my siblings’ lifestyles. I need to continually remember to be content with everything that I have because the Lord has blessed me in so many, many ways such as having 4 wonderful, grown children, 6 precious grandchildren, many friends and very little debt.
One of the best things I have heard lately and am constantly repeating to myself is, “if you don’t have it right now then you don’t need it right now” God is our supplier and if we are supposed to have more of anything…money, relationships, material things he will provide them, if not we are right where He wants us to be for the moment, It has really helped me let some things go. It’s a hard battle though! You sound abundantly blessed and close to Him, right where you should be!