Counting What Counts: Aligning Our Priorities with What God Values
- Jack Selcher
- Sep 19, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Summary
What we count reveals our priorities and spiritual maturity. While many things are enjoyable to measure, only people and God’s Word have eternal value. As believers grow more like Jesus, they increasingly focus on what God values—bringing people into His kingdom and helping them grow spiritually. Counting such fruit may be difficult, but it is essential. Lives transformed through God’s Word are what truly count.
What We Count Reveals Our Priorities
Someone could accurately describe us knowing only what we count. What we count and why reveal our priorities.
Spiritual Maturity and God’s Values
Our priorities also disclose our spiritual maturity. As we become more like Jesus, we increasingly count what God values because we do too. For example, God values saving lost people (Luke 15).
Everyday Counting vs. Eternal Impact
In school, I counted the days until the last day of classes. Its joy rivaled Christmas. Going to school was not among my favorite things.
I enjoy gardening and processing, and freezing vegetables for the winter. I know how many packs of various vegetables we have frozen since 2017.
I enjoy fishing. I count how many fish I catch on every fishing trip. I also keep track of the biggest fish I catch.
I enjoy coaching. I count the days until track and field season begins at the local high school where I coach. I know how many medals my throwers have won in the track and field state championships.
I recorded worship attendance, Sunday school attendance, and other church statistics when I was an active pastor. They were part of my annual report to my denomination. Their leaders used them to gauge the health of churches.
Only Two Things That Last Forever
Not everything we count is equally important. Pastor Chuck Swindoll wrote, “Do you realize there are only two eternal things on earth today? Only two: people and God's Word. Everything else will ultimately be burned up—everything else. Kind of sets your priorities straight, doesn't it?”1
Measuring Kingdom Fruit
It is okay to tally things in the “everything else” column, but it is vital to count what counts. How many people are coming into God’s Kingdom and becoming more like Jesus through our influence?
That is often difficult to measure, but we must try. How are we and our church using our God-given resources to serve people?
Connecting People to God and His Word
How are we connecting them with God’s Word, which can bring them spiritual life (1 Peter 1:23) and growth (1 Peter 2:2)? That is easier to measure.
A Living Example of Counting What Counts
Pastors in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia teach the basics of the Christian faith and see people come to faith and grow up in Christ. They do it through classes that include 132 hours of instruction over four weeks, working through “His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength.”
As of January 7, 2026, these classes have touched 17,681 people in the last four years. These pastors also provided Bibles to 14,325 students through generous donors in the United States. More than 7,590 people have been saved in these classes. These pastors and donors are counting what counts.
We may count the days of school remaining and fish caught if we wish. But let us not forget to count what God counts. Let us connect people to God, His ways, and His Word. That is what counts. See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.
God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 7,590 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 17,681 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.