You Are Here.

AHA! We have all had moments where we have been walking along and happen to look down and notice a little treasure. It may be sticking out of the sand or laying on a sidewalk, but there is always a feeling of excitement when we stumble upon that which we were not expecting to find.

Likewise, there is something amazingly special when a thought or a concept pierces through our thick minds and strikes that special place of clarity and revelation. Yesterday, a friend posted something on his Facebook page that contained so many of these revelatory ideas, so many little treasures, that it almost made my head hurt—in a good way.

I awoke this morning with one of them bubbling in the forefront of my thoughts:

“Quit living as if the purpose is to arrive safely at death.”

Sadly, this is what most of us do. We wake up at the same old time, eat the same old breakfast, go to the same old job, do the same old thing, come home to the same old house, watch the same old TV shows, and retire to the same old bed, repeating it all the next day. Doesn’t it get old?

We don’t take risks. We don’t go after our dreams. We don’t look for opportunities, or we live selfish, contained lives. Sadly, we settle. We think to ourselves, “If I can just get through this day…” What, you’ll just do your best to fly under the radar unscathed enough so that you can do the same thing tomorrow? That’s insanity.

We complain about the state of our world, but you know why the world is so broken? It’s because so many of us play it safe; we don’t do the things that will bring about change—no matter how great or small. Don’t you want your life to count for something? There is this little dash between the day you were born and the day you will die (and yes, someday you will die). What are you going to do with that dash? How do you want to be remembered?

While this concept is relevant for all people, and though others may have a different perspective than mine, it resonates with me in a uniquely personal way as a follower of Christ. I believe that once I have received Christ into my life and put my faith in him that he is who he says he is (God’s only son incarnated in to a human being who came to bridge the gap between God and man as a result of our selfish sin and pride), that I am reconciled and have an eternal security with him as I walk in relationship with him. However, so many in the Christian faith stop right there, and I believe that’s why they are so poorly regarded by the rest of the world. “Hey, I’m saved, so I’ll just mind my Ps and Qs until I die.” 

I think Jesus groans deeply at this lukewarm attitude. This is not what he commands us to do as his followers.

We are to have bold actions in the way we treat those less fortunate, becoming humble servants of those in need. We are to be encouraging, and reliable, honorable and kind, compassionate and active. The wonderful mystery and beauty of walking in these precepts is that there is a two-fold blessing; people are blessed by our actions and in return we are blessed. In fact, we are energized to do even more in the name of love. This is my goal and my hope for everyone.

Don’t be a sluggard and coast through your life. Make your moments count. Feed relationships. Be involved. Be adventurous and creative and active and engaged. You have potential in your purpose—so be purposeful in living out your potential. Quit living as if the purpose is to arrive safely at death.