Relevance

According to Google…

“Relevance is simply the noun form of the adjective ‘relevant,’ which means ‘important to the matter at hand.’ Artists and politicians are always worried about their relevance. If they are no longer relevant, they may not keep their job.”
relevance – Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com
www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/relevance

In my journey, I’ve come to find the following to be true…

Once you begin to go down a path others aren’t willing to tread, you become somewhat irrelevant to them.

And when this path veers from their belief structure’s foundation then you can become completely irrelevant to them.

However, in time, I believe that should these people ever find themselves in the position of traversing that once forbidden path, you suddenly become the most relevant person they know. And more so, because you’ve gone before them, you can help guide them around pitfalls and be an encouragement to them, because they can see that they are not alone in that leg of their journey.

Photos by Jay Merrill. Published at collegian.com

In my experience, I have become irrelevant to many (but not all) with the words I speak/write. I believe I have sown many seeds from which I may never see the growth should the seed take hold and mature. But on occasion I will meet someone seemingly out of the blue who will tell me they heard/read something I said/wrote that inspired or encouraged them, and I see that as confirmation of my relevance in the lives of others. (And I praise my Heavenly Father for that!)

Personally, I believe the supposedly sure foundations of many folk’s religious beliefs are going to be shaken…shaken so much that all those around them will cease to be relevant to them. And then what? I pray, I will somehow be a light to them in the darkness.

I’m not looking for popularity in this life. In fact I’m expecting isolation (though I am not the one choosing it). But I feel a calling to seek truth and to testify in love that which has been revealed to me, and I can’t deny that call. So I continue to press on.

Have you ever found yourself in the position of losing relevance with loved ones or with those whom you’ve met along life’s journey and then gaining it back in time? It doesn’t have to be a result of what you say, but it could just be a result of the life choices you make. If so, please share your experience in the comments below for the purpose of bringing encouragement to others.