A question that I've been asking people recently is "What would you have to do in your life to make it seem worthwhile?" As is the nature of such questions, I have had to be prepared to answer it myself. It's a tough question to say the least. Through writing and working on some projects in our shop lately I have been noticing humanity's affinity for creation. We gain a satisfaction through building things or creating art. In my opinion this is an attempt to imitate the the one who created us; when we are making something it brings us closer to God in a sense.
I do a lot of reading, writing, and building. In addition, I love to climb peaks or rock climbing routes. There is a satisfaction to gain through working hard for a goal and then accomplishing it. However, what will this gain me or anyone else around me when I'm gone? Very little, to be blunt. I read a post by Don Miller this morning talking about being afraid of death because of what we are leaving behind. I was struck by the fact that all material things are going to be left behind when we die. It's not like I didn't realize this before, but it's an important reminder nonetheless.
So to answer the first question, "What do I have to do to feel like my life is worthwhile?" I feel like the only way to do this is to make a difference in the lives of other people. There's a famous wandering, vagabond with the initials JC who modeled this pretty well: healing the sick, feeding the hungry, speaking with those whom no one else would hang around. He set the standard pretty high. I'm just hoping that those around me will feel loved and not hated, uplifted and not broken down, like I was their friend not just a face in the crowd. This is a very general answer, but then again, it's still a tough question.
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