Sometimes you have to wonder if progress is being withheld for a reason – a purpose. And you begin to reflect. The recession and its reluctant recovery have us all questioning ourselves, our motives, our methods, our very lives and our purpose.
In the years that I’ve been a manager and leader in business and in volunteer service a recurring theme continues to surface – people have a desire to be inspired. At the root of that desire is a DNA-level yearning to serve a purpose.
In the past year I have never had so much time to contemplate my life and its purpose. This summer has been slow and I believe that most have made a concerted effort to slow down, assess and collect themselves for the future. I hope and trust that the pause is more out of true contemplation and less of procrastination and fear to act.
There is nothing worse than to go through life without a purpose. The accumulation of stuff and titles and power is not purpose. William James was a wealthy heir, notable psychologist, philosopher and contemplative of the 1800s. He was a member of a literary and intellectually elite family that included his brother the novelist Henry James. He said, “The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.” That statement rings of eternity, purpose and calling. We may all be created equal but we are not all the same. While equal before the law, we are each unique and uniquely gifted – special - purposeful.
I am forever confounded by the free-wheeling misuse of the statement “… life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. The American Dream. The phrase itself is adapted from a more materialistic statement made by political philosopher and existentialist John Locke – pursuit of property. It has become every man’s declaration of his/her unalienable individual sovereignty. It is a statement made by men adapted from scripture and there is a nugget within it that draws us and draws our spirits – the pursuit of happiness. What is that? What is happiness? Is it joy? Is it self exaltation? Is happiness the accumulation of things? Truly, it’s whatever you make of it and our so-called unalienable right is not to the attainment of “it” per se but to the pursuit of “it”.
I believe that true happiness lies in discovering the fine line and direction one takes in either the pursuit of a kind of happiness found solely in the pursuit of perishable things or in the pursuit of a kind of happiness or fullness found in the pursuit of purpose toward things that go beyond this life and its “stuff”.
When times are easy and success flows freely, we are easily distracted from our true purpose as individuals and the place where we will find joy – true happiness. It is a narrow path and few find it. It is also a path from which we easily stray.
What defines us? Purpose? Profession? Is it the collection of our possessions? French writer Andre Gide had this to say about possessions, "Complete possession is proved only by giving. All you are unable to give possesses you."
But don’t take my word for it. Let’s get a perspective;
"You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." ~ James 4:14 ~
Or take it from King Solomon who had it all – the greatest of knowledge, discernment and wisdom and all the riches of the world at his disposal. He authored the book of Ecclesiastes;
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “ Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“ Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What profit has a man from all his labor
In which he toils under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
But the earth abides forever.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,
And hastens to the place where it arose.
6 The wind goes toward the south,
And turns around to the north;
The wind whirls about continually,
And comes again on its circuit.
7 All the rivers run into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full;
To the place from which the rivers come,
There they return again.
8 All things are full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
Say what you want about Lee Atwater’s politics, but he was an accomplished man very early in his life, rubbing eldbows with and relied upon by some of the most powerful men on the planet. He died swiftly at age forty of a brain tumor and this was his contrite commentary on his life (from a Life magazine article in February 1991), “My illness helped me to see that what was missing in society is what was missing in me: a little heart, a lot of brotherhood. The '80s were about acquiring — acquiring wealth, power, prestige. I know. I acquired more wealth, power, and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty. What power wouldn't I trade for a little more time with my family? What price wouldn't I pay for an evening with friends? It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn on my dime. I don't know who will lead us through the '90s, but they must be made to speak to this spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society, this tumor of the soul.”
Thousands of years apart – same bottom line - same conclusion about life. What do Donald Trump or Ted Turner have to say on that? If their pride will allow it we may find out some day from their death beds.
Is life summed up in some “bucket list” of “to dos”, “thrills” and “to gets” that justify the self? Or is it about purpose discovered and devoted. In that there is no vanity. While we’re on it, here’s the Merriam-Webster definition of vanity; something that is vain, empty, or valueless, the quality or fact of being vain: inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance: conceit. A cutting word. Surely I am not vain! But is my life vanity?
Another fellow who died young but “in” his purpose was a young missionary by the name of James (Jim) Elliot. If you ever want to watch a compelling documentary film about divine purpose take a look at Through Gates of Splendor which is based on a book written by Jim’s widow Elizabeth Elliot. There is also a movie on the same topic titled, End of The Spear. Convicting to say the least – and perhaps senselessly fanatical in the opinion of some not so focused.
Two Jim Elliot quotations;
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
“Wherever you are, be all there.”
Finally, I present to you, William Borden (1887-1913). Yes, he died at age 26. Borden, of the wealthy Borden family we all know, was a well educated millionaire of privilege who had a promising life in industry before him. He turned it all down because early in his life he wrestled with the question of eternal “purpose” as expressed by this passage taken from the book, Borden of Yale '09 written by Mrs. Howard Taylor in 1926. “Borden's first disappointment at Yale came when the university president spoke in a convocation about the students' need of "having a fixed purpose." After that speech, Borden wrote: "He neglected to say what our purpose should be, and where we should get the ability to persevere and the strength to resist temptations.”
Borden died of spinal meningitis as he trekked to China and his mission field. Written on the inside cover of Borden’s Bible in his own hand – “No reserve – No retreats – No regrets”.
Our lives are finite yet despite our intellectual knowledge of it our end creeps up so surprisingly on each of us. The wealthiest and most powerful among us, when asked what they would want more of respond without hesitation – “time”. In the time that we have, to be the best in what we do, not in the eyes of others but in our own eyes and those of our Creator is to live in the purpose from which we derive truest joy and truest happiness.
You only have so much time to_____________________________.
I think we are meant to struggle with our pursuit of purpose.
All the best!
Bill
Acknowledgement: This Blog was a partially crafted draft of thoughts and fragments of thoughts in a file folder until the exhorting, challenging and encouraging words of my Pastor (Gerald Martel, Grace Gospel Church, Swansea, MA) goaded me into action for its completion. I also attribute to Pastor Martel's research the examples of Lee Atwater and William Borden into which I further delved for inspiration.
In the years that I’ve been a manager and leader in business and in volunteer service a recurring theme continues to surface – people have a desire to be inspired. At the root of that desire is a DNA-level yearning to serve a purpose.
In the past year I have never had so much time to contemplate my life and its purpose. This summer has been slow and I believe that most have made a concerted effort to slow down, assess and collect themselves for the future. I hope and trust that the pause is more out of true contemplation and less of procrastination and fear to act.
There is nothing worse than to go through life without a purpose. The accumulation of stuff and titles and power is not purpose. William James was a wealthy heir, notable psychologist, philosopher and contemplative of the 1800s. He was a member of a literary and intellectually elite family that included his brother the novelist Henry James. He said, “The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.” That statement rings of eternity, purpose and calling. We may all be created equal but we are not all the same. While equal before the law, we are each unique and uniquely gifted – special - purposeful.
I am forever confounded by the free-wheeling misuse of the statement “… life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. The American Dream. The phrase itself is adapted from a more materialistic statement made by political philosopher and existentialist John Locke – pursuit of property. It has become every man’s declaration of his/her unalienable individual sovereignty. It is a statement made by men adapted from scripture and there is a nugget within it that draws us and draws our spirits – the pursuit of happiness. What is that? What is happiness? Is it joy? Is it self exaltation? Is happiness the accumulation of things? Truly, it’s whatever you make of it and our so-called unalienable right is not to the attainment of “it” per se but to the pursuit of “it”.
I believe that true happiness lies in discovering the fine line and direction one takes in either the pursuit of a kind of happiness found solely in the pursuit of perishable things or in the pursuit of a kind of happiness or fullness found in the pursuit of purpose toward things that go beyond this life and its “stuff”.
When times are easy and success flows freely, we are easily distracted from our true purpose as individuals and the place where we will find joy – true happiness. It is a narrow path and few find it. It is also a path from which we easily stray.
What defines us? Purpose? Profession? Is it the collection of our possessions? French writer Andre Gide had this to say about possessions, "Complete possession is proved only by giving. All you are unable to give possesses you."
But don’t take my word for it. Let’s get a perspective;
"You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." ~ James 4:14 ~
Or take it from King Solomon who had it all – the greatest of knowledge, discernment and wisdom and all the riches of the world at his disposal. He authored the book of Ecclesiastes;
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “ Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“ Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What profit has a man from all his labor
In which he toils under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
But the earth abides forever.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,
And hastens to the place where it arose.
6 The wind goes toward the south,
And turns around to the north;
The wind whirls about continually,
And comes again on its circuit.
7 All the rivers run into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full;
To the place from which the rivers come,
There they return again.
8 All things are full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
Say what you want about Lee Atwater’s politics, but he was an accomplished man very early in his life, rubbing eldbows with and relied upon by some of the most powerful men on the planet. He died swiftly at age forty of a brain tumor and this was his contrite commentary on his life (from a Life magazine article in February 1991), “My illness helped me to see that what was missing in society is what was missing in me: a little heart, a lot of brotherhood. The '80s were about acquiring — acquiring wealth, power, prestige. I know. I acquired more wealth, power, and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty. What power wouldn't I trade for a little more time with my family? What price wouldn't I pay for an evening with friends? It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn on my dime. I don't know who will lead us through the '90s, but they must be made to speak to this spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society, this tumor of the soul.”
Thousands of years apart – same bottom line - same conclusion about life. What do Donald Trump or Ted Turner have to say on that? If their pride will allow it we may find out some day from their death beds.
Is life summed up in some “bucket list” of “to dos”, “thrills” and “to gets” that justify the self? Or is it about purpose discovered and devoted. In that there is no vanity. While we’re on it, here’s the Merriam-Webster definition of vanity; something that is vain, empty, or valueless, the quality or fact of being vain: inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance: conceit. A cutting word. Surely I am not vain! But is my life vanity?
Another fellow who died young but “in” his purpose was a young missionary by the name of James (Jim) Elliot. If you ever want to watch a compelling documentary film about divine purpose take a look at Through Gates of Splendor which is based on a book written by Jim’s widow Elizabeth Elliot. There is also a movie on the same topic titled, End of The Spear. Convicting to say the least – and perhaps senselessly fanatical in the opinion of some not so focused.
Two Jim Elliot quotations;
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
“Wherever you are, be all there.”
Finally, I present to you, William Borden (1887-1913). Yes, he died at age 26. Borden, of the wealthy Borden family we all know, was a well educated millionaire of privilege who had a promising life in industry before him. He turned it all down because early in his life he wrestled with the question of eternal “purpose” as expressed by this passage taken from the book, Borden of Yale '09 written by Mrs. Howard Taylor in 1926. “Borden's first disappointment at Yale came when the university president spoke in a convocation about the students' need of "having a fixed purpose." After that speech, Borden wrote: "He neglected to say what our purpose should be, and where we should get the ability to persevere and the strength to resist temptations.”
Borden died of spinal meningitis as he trekked to China and his mission field. Written on the inside cover of Borden’s Bible in his own hand – “No reserve – No retreats – No regrets”.
Our lives are finite yet despite our intellectual knowledge of it our end creeps up so surprisingly on each of us. The wealthiest and most powerful among us, when asked what they would want more of respond without hesitation – “time”. In the time that we have, to be the best in what we do, not in the eyes of others but in our own eyes and those of our Creator is to live in the purpose from which we derive truest joy and truest happiness.
You only have so much time to_____________________________.
I think we are meant to struggle with our pursuit of purpose.
All the best!
Bill
Acknowledgement: This Blog was a partially crafted draft of thoughts and fragments of thoughts in a file folder until the exhorting, challenging and encouraging words of my Pastor (Gerald Martel, Grace Gospel Church, Swansea, MA) goaded me into action for its completion. I also attribute to Pastor Martel's research the examples of Lee Atwater and William Borden into which I further delved for inspiration.
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