I've beeen pondering the definition of success lately. There are all the typical answers, financial, being a good person, living life to the fullest. And while those are all valid answers, I find myself knowing there is so much more to the word. More than I could probably ever understand.
The other day I was driving around Cherry Creek with my niece. When we were stopped at a red light, I glanced to my right and saw a homeless girl sitting on a street corner. My heart broke for her. I wondered what her story was, I wondered where she'd come from and what events had occured in her life to get her to the place she was. A smile found it's way to my lips when I saw a gentelman come up and give her two bags of groceries. He then began talking to the woman. She looked to be no more than twenty five years old. In the world's eyes, she had nothing to call successful. But I realized that that simply wasn't the case. I may not know what the successes in her life might be, but by simply being alive, a human, she was a success. God didn't see her as less than, he loves her as much as he loves you and me. If that's not success, I'm not sure what is. And I realized that I find myself striving to be successful in ways that really don't matter, when I should just be enveloped in the realization that I am a success because I belong to Jesus Christ. There are things I want to do in my life, just like everyone else I'm sure. I want to succeed and do well at the goals i've set in front of me. But all of those are nothing if i'm not successful where it really matters. Again, I know i'm not the first person to have these thoughts, but if my life is only filled with myself it's not a success at all. I would rather put aside my goals and aspirations if that means I get to love on people and show them Christ with every moment I'm in existance. I want to strive to smile more, strike up conversation more, compliment more. I want to be one of those people who asks someone how they are and really get a true answer. I think that's what James 2:26 means, "Faith without deeds is dead." I would rather live a life of serving others than, having a life served to me. That's maybe the surface of what being a true success of a person is. I want to be one of those people who sees someone who might be entirely different than me, and talk to them. I want to live a life where I'm not afraid to love people. I am grateful for the fact that the majority of people are different than me. Each and every person we encounter is a different piece of our incredible God. Why would I want to do anything else but love them? By simply talking to someone, we get to know a new characteristic of our Savior. Success may be many different things, but I think the biggest definition of success, is love.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
If you're reading this, it's not by chance...
I am new to the blogging world. In fact, I think I may have only read a total of ten blogs in my entire life. It's never really been something I've thought of doing even though I love to write. I'm more of a pen and page type of girl. But the reason I decided to start writing a blog, is for no other reason than the fact that my dad asked me to. He is leaving for Afghanistan in a couple of weeks, and it's something he can keep up with. He may be the only person who reads this, and if that's the case, it's completly fine. However, if you're not my father and are reading this, I hope you enjoy.
So, there's something that's been on my mind for the past couple of months. I'm not naive in thinking that i'm the first or only person to have this thought. In fact, I know i'm not. However, it is something that has been eating up quite a lot of my thought process. The thought is simple, really, until it becomes complicated. See i've been thinking about how every person you encounter in your life, comes in for one reason or another. There is often times absolutely no significance to their apperance, yet it is there all the same. Out of the billions of people in the world, there are very few that ever enter yours. There will always be people you had no idea existed, just as they in turn will have no idea you exsist. So why are the ones that come into your life there? People can enter your life in something as simple as a smile at a supermarket. It's a simple gesture, more than likely never thought of again. Smiling at that person has no significance, or it could have all the significance in the world. You may never know what that smile did. And odds are, you will never see that person again. They entered your life for a brief moment, for a reason you may never know. But what about the people that are significant? The people that enter our lives for bigger periods of time? We all have them. Family, friends, significant others, etc. These people are the ones who get to see deeper parts of who we are. They are people we share our lives, secrets, and dreams with. But here is what I find odd about these people. Most of them won't be in that place of intamacy with us forever. At the time in your life they enter, there is obviously a reason for it. But what about when life moves on? It boggles me that someone can be so close to you, maybe even know everything about you, but one day not know you at all. It also amazes me that while at one point in your life you can't imagine living without a certain person, at another point you can't imagine how you thought that you could. Except for a select few, most people that were or are in our lives today, won't be in ten years time, fifteen years time, whatever you want to say. So why do we enter each others worlds in the first place? To me, the answer is simple in all it's complexity. I believe that we were placed on this earth to share companionship, love, experiences. I believe that's how God created us. He has put us exactly where we are for his exact purpose. The people that surround that purpose aren't there for no reason. I believe that he sent his son to die for my sin so that I could be redeemed. Because I believe that, I also believe that it's my duty to show that love to everyone I encounter. Everyone. So whether you're a person I smile at in a supermarket, or whether you're my closest confidant, or whether you're reading this blog and i'll never meet you, it's not just by chance.And while I've not even come close to scratching the surface of this thought, I also know that it confirms the idea that we are all here for a unique purpose. Though the world doesn't center itself around one person, it would be a far different place if you were not in it. Just food for thought...
So, there's something that's been on my mind for the past couple of months. I'm not naive in thinking that i'm the first or only person to have this thought. In fact, I know i'm not. However, it is something that has been eating up quite a lot of my thought process. The thought is simple, really, until it becomes complicated. See i've been thinking about how every person you encounter in your life, comes in for one reason or another. There is often times absolutely no significance to their apperance, yet it is there all the same. Out of the billions of people in the world, there are very few that ever enter yours. There will always be people you had no idea existed, just as they in turn will have no idea you exsist. So why are the ones that come into your life there? People can enter your life in something as simple as a smile at a supermarket. It's a simple gesture, more than likely never thought of again. Smiling at that person has no significance, or it could have all the significance in the world. You may never know what that smile did. And odds are, you will never see that person again. They entered your life for a brief moment, for a reason you may never know. But what about the people that are significant? The people that enter our lives for bigger periods of time? We all have them. Family, friends, significant others, etc. These people are the ones who get to see deeper parts of who we are. They are people we share our lives, secrets, and dreams with. But here is what I find odd about these people. Most of them won't be in that place of intamacy with us forever. At the time in your life they enter, there is obviously a reason for it. But what about when life moves on? It boggles me that someone can be so close to you, maybe even know everything about you, but one day not know you at all. It also amazes me that while at one point in your life you can't imagine living without a certain person, at another point you can't imagine how you thought that you could. Except for a select few, most people that were or are in our lives today, won't be in ten years time, fifteen years time, whatever you want to say. So why do we enter each others worlds in the first place? To me, the answer is simple in all it's complexity. I believe that we were placed on this earth to share companionship, love, experiences. I believe that's how God created us. He has put us exactly where we are for his exact purpose. The people that surround that purpose aren't there for no reason. I believe that he sent his son to die for my sin so that I could be redeemed. Because I believe that, I also believe that it's my duty to show that love to everyone I encounter. Everyone. So whether you're a person I smile at in a supermarket, or whether you're my closest confidant, or whether you're reading this blog and i'll never meet you, it's not just by chance.And while I've not even come close to scratching the surface of this thought, I also know that it confirms the idea that we are all here for a unique purpose. Though the world doesn't center itself around one person, it would be a far different place if you were not in it. Just food for thought...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)