Purpose through Priorities

I have one child attending the University of Iowa and a 2nd about to start their 1st semester as a Hawkeye this fall.  My husband and I both earned our M.B.As at the “U.of I.” as we call it,  so you could say it is a family tradition.  You’ll understand then, that when I found a 1928 University of Iowa yearbook, complete with amazing art deco- style graphics, at a local antique store, I was compelled to purchase it.  As I paged through the fascinating pages that give a glimpse into the lives of long ago alumni, I find my mind creating narratives that construct lives around the photos of the unique faces on each page.  It dawned on me that the majority of those faces staring out of the time-frozen pages were already deceased.  How many of those faces accepted Jesus as their savior and are saved?  What types of lives did they live? An impactful life that touched a dizzying number of lives like a crescendo of dominoes toppling across the face of time, or a quite lonely existence of isolation, fear,  and wasted potential? My face graces the pages of an old University yearbook somewhere in a dusty attic.  Some day it will be discovered, and a curious face will marvel at the ridiculous hair styles and trends that dominate the glossy page, and they too will wonder about the lives of those mysterious lives from the past.  It is a humble reminder that someday I too will be gone, save for a musty photo in an album or yearbook.  What legacy am I leaving in the wake of my unavoidable escape from planet earth?  Thus far I’d say a combination of moments-  some fearful and wasted that I am not proud of;  some that I hope have caused a ripple of goodness to to cascade across the universe  magnified by the butterfly effect of chaos theory.

Those future University of Iowa grads our family cherishes are full of hope, potential, and possibilities.  We often think in terms of success as accolades, accomplishments, titles, income, power, and possessions. Yet I am certain that if I had the opportunity to interview each of those past alumni immediately prior to their last day on earth, they would send a message that their greatest accomplishments were those invested in bettering the lives of others by pointing to the ultimate purpose in life.

Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”NIV

Matthew 22:37-39 “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’” NWT

In sum, I like to think we better the lives of others by living out God’s purpose for our lives.  We each are given unique gifts and abilities by our Creator, but each of those gifts maximizes it’s potential by pointing to God and his ultimate love for us which he expects us to  teach others about by pouring out on others.  We don’t act justly (fairly) if we are focused on ourselves. We aren’t merciful if we only consider our own feelings. We aren’t humble if think more of ourselves than of others.  Loving others well requires a relationship with God.  Otherwise, we are too quickly distracted by the shiny distractions our culture and selfishness demands we prioritize.

A life well lived is a life lived with purpose, not necessarily possessions.  God provides us with both, we just need to prioritize our lives in a way that allows purpose to lead, everything else of true value will follow.