Living with Purpose
By: Pastor Chad Wright, Associate Pastor of Christian Care & Counseling
Some questions have arisen in among some theological threads I follow online. Discussion boards gave enough space and anonymity to some to ask questions about where God is while we go through this pandemic. Some have lost loved ones to this virus. Others have suffered through the virus and now carry painful consequences, physical and financial. They asked questions: “Why is God allowing this?” “Where is God when believers suffer?” There were some who said that we should not look for meaning in suffering, wary that God would be involved in minor details. Through the years, I have come to realize that quite the opposite is true; that every day of our lives – every moment – is packed with meaning and purpose. Yes, our lives are full of common, ordinary moments, but it is those moments of grace that fill the world with beauty, laughter, love, and joy. I have made the mistake in my life and see others make it to, where we become so preoccupied with something we want that we don’t notice those moments of grace as the gifts – even miracles – they are. We look for meaning in great opportunities, but risk losing the everyday opportunities to share God’s love in meaningful ways.
A friend shared this story to illustrate this truth: A woman prepares a lunch for her child to take to school. There is nothing unusual or extraordinary about the woman or her child or the act of packing his lunch. She has packed her son’s lunch every day since he began going to school. She is glad to do it because she loves her son and she wants him to have a good lunch. She has packed his lunch so often that most mornings she does it with little thought. Oh, sometimes she thinks of him eating his lunch with his friends at school. She imagines him talking and laughing with his friends and comparing his lunch with the lunches other mothers have packed. She imagines him trading bits of food with his friends and maybe sharing with friends who have forgotten theirs or have less. Sometimes she dreams of what her son will become when he finishes school and grows up. She imagines the woman he will marry. She imagines him as a father. She sees herself playing with his children and her grandchildren. She imagines packing lunches for her grandchildren to carry off and share with their friends. She loves her son and packing his lunch is an act of love… but most days she doesn’t think much about it. It’s routine, it is just something she does every morning before she sends him off to school.
When he comes home she asks him, “How was your day?” He tells her that it was the best day ever. “We went to hear a new teacher. He was a wise teacher! You should have been there Mom. You would have liked him.”
“Is that why you are so late – because of this new teacher?” she asks. “Yes, but no one wanted him to stop.” He answered.
“Well, your father and I were beginning to worry. But never mind; if you were with your teacher, it’s okay. I do wish he would let us know when he is going to keep you so late. I’ll ask your Father to speak to him. Sit down. I have saved some dinner for you.”
“That’s okay, Mom. I have already eaten.” “What did you eat?” she asks.
He smiles and says, “Leftovers from the lunch you fixed. I shared with everyone there”.
“You did?”
“The new teacher’s name was Jesus. He asked if anyone had any food to share. You taught me to always share so I gave him what I had and he fed everyone on what you prepared.”
She has already heard this story from a neighbor. She says, “I have heard of Jesus.
He was sent to us from God. He is a miracle worker.”
Years later, every time the man who grew from the boy tells the story of Jesus feeding the crowd to his children, he tells them that their grandmother was a miracle worker too because every lunch she prepared was prepared with her love for him. He teaches his children that every day people have the opportunity to perform little acts of love because of God’s grace. He teaches his children that sharing with another person is a miracle and listening to another person, caring for their families, welcoming strangers, speaking for justice, doing the right thing, helping those who have fallen are all little miracles. He teaches his children that life is full of miracles of grace every time one person loves another.
Jesus did great things, miraculous things, things that defied the laws of physics, things we cannot duplicate. He died and rose again. I have not met anyone else who can do that! His life wasn’t about big miracles, and most of His days were as ordinary as ours, but they were all filled with acts of love. The pattern for our lives is to be found in his everyday acts of love because of His grace, love, acceptance, kindness, forgiveness, compassion, concern and all the ordinary things he did for his neighbors.
You see, life is full of meaning. Every act of grace adds meaning to our lives and the life of our neighbor. Additionally, every act of love pleases God and so has meaning beyond this world. That is true purpose.
See you next week right here at the intersection of faith and mental health.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Chad Wright