And Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:10 (ESV)
Jesus explained why He came to earth very clearly and succinctly. It is deeply comforting to understand His heart regarding me and those I hold dear—which is all of you!
As you probably know there are many reasons why we lose touch with our deepest values, and I can personally testify that they all lead to suffering—because we are not mindless machines following a programmed script but rather living breathing souls yearning for direction, meaning and motivation. Without purpose to direct us, we know that our lives quickly become empty and dull.
Values not only tell us where to focus our efforts and energies, they also provide a source of motivation. Have you noticed that the pain you have endured along your life journey becomes much easier to bear and share when it is in the service of your deepest values? And have you noticed that carrying out your deepest desires brings a sense of fulfillment and vitality that no material wealth can match? Then you are with me in this journey.
Since my move to Westminster Village I have been reviewing my heart’s desires once again in light of our new living arrangement and the needs of our community here. I recently asked myself these questions. “What do I care about?” “What do I want to do here that reflects that caring?” “What can I do to make my caring more clear and obvious to others?”
After a period of soul searching in recent days I came up with the perfect choice of words to reflect my deepest heart’s desire and it has satisfied my need to put something into tangible and meaningful words. Simply put it is:
During my time here I value
finishing well and helping others finish well!
Values are enduring, eternal guides which I can never fully achieve; but I faithfully reveal by daily acting in accordance with them. My prayer is that I will remain focused—near where I live and breathe—and far where my words travel—to inspire lives my life touches in this wild and wonderful ride called life!