Purpose

Building

Since I’m around college students a lot, I frequently get to hear them respond to the question “So what do you want to do with your life?” Sometimes the question isn’t as bluntly stated, but whether they’re being asked “what do you want to be?” “what are your dreams” or “what are your plans for after graduation?,” the root of the inquiry is to try and understand what kind of life they want to lead.

Interestingly, one response that I’ve never heard (and I’ve heard plenty) is “I want to build a kingdom for myself, where I get everything I want in a manner that’s convenient to me. I will make all the rules  and then I will decide whether or not I will live by those rules. No one in this kingdom will be as important as me.”

And although no one is brass enough to answer this way, from the way they live their lives, this appears to be the dream of many.

  • They make choices based on what’s best for them.
  • They act as if no one else matters.
  • They live for what pleases them.

Jesus, however, made it very clear that if we aren’t living for Him, we’re living against Him (Matthew 12:30). Similarly, if we aren’t building His kingdom, we’re building ours.

And our kingdom will not stand.

Which means that the only logical thing to do is to get busy working for the Kingdom that will endure; forsaking our own fiefdom, for a treasure that is secure.

How will you build His kingdom today?

This post was partially inspired by MercyMe’s song In the Blink of an Eye. [affiliate link]

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Being Content Purpose

Incomparable

Nowadays, it’s popular to tell kids how special they are. We are told that we should focus on what makes them unique, to play to their strengths, and to not worry about the areas where they may lack talent or ability. Kids are supposed to be self-assured, to be confident, and to believe that they can do anything.

Even though it doesn’t take kids very long to realize that’s not true.

They can’t do anything. After all, as I once said, despite any desire I may have, I was never going to be a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. Some things are inherent to who we are, and no amount of willpower or fortitude will change this. So young people are forced to reconcile what they’ve been told with what they can clearly see as reality. And more often than not, this leads them to compare.

“I may not be as fast as Bobby, but I’m faster than Joe”

“I’m the second prettiest girl in the class – we voted on it.”

“I may not be smart, but at least I’m smarter than George.”

And so on and so on, until they’ve made their lists, assigned their categories, and everyone fits in a nice little box.

And then those children grow up. They take those same lists, and those same categories, and begin checking off boxes.

“Kyle got his first sports car on the day he turned 18; I want one too.”

“Susie was married by 21, so I should be too.”

“John bought his first house; that means I should be buying one too.”

And on and on it goes.

However, in reality, just like God didn’t apportion everyone the same set of skills and talents, God didn’t write everyone’s life story the same way. What He has planned for one person at a certain stage in life, may not be what He has planned for another. God wants to use you for the purposes He has planned for you, not what He has planned for someone else.

And if we stop to think about it, we should be grateful that’s the case. Because it means God has fashioned and designed our lives in such a way that through it, He gets the most glory. He’s gifted us and placed us in circumstances so that He can use our lives for His Kingdom’s sake.  He’s fashioned our story so that it can become part of His story.

And for the Christian, there’s nothing that can compare to that.

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