The past week was pretty eventful. I met the most amazing individuals. But one stood out the most; a 26 year old Sri Lankan who is bringing peace and reconciliation to his country. A Christian minority bringing the majority Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim population together; after 30 years of conflict this young man is restoring hope and unifying his country. Check out www.srilankaunites.org. Amazing.
Today I met a really enthusiastic orphaned teen living alone in a slum. The child fends for himself by fetching water after school for his neighbours. Some pastors are sponsoring his education. He doesn’t have a family and is a rehabilitated street kid. Amazing.
I have heard so many amazing stories of young people who are living lives of purpose. It just slaps you in the face that those of us in our mid twenties to mid thirties are spending more time worrying about living an exotic life. And whining about the hindrances, yet maybe what we should do is focus on using the resources that we have in hand to support the generation after ours.
There was a very long period in my life, not long ago, that I wondered what in the world I was here for. Life made no sense. Every effort was futile. And I felt very helpless most of the time.
But one day after a First Year Experience class in campus and one word from a lecture I found out why I was on earth. It is the job of each generation to leave a legacy for the next, one of prosperity and posterity. My pal summed it up in one phrase that I love. ‘Our mortality gives us meaning.’
My pastors say this. If you are the solution; then what is the problem? We are here as a generation to resolve problems. The question begs, then what gifting do you have to solve the perceived problem? I guess that is what makes life exciting; the discovery of the answer to this question.
Life isn’t about you per se; life is about what you do for others. You are a means to an end. I guess when we begin to realize that the lives that we lead are for the global sake of others and not ourselves. That will be the fulfillment and satisfaction of life! I am here for you and you are here for me. I guess if we start living our lives selflessly we will begin to steer in the right direction as a nation, continent and the globe!
But it all starts with a personal understanding that life really…IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU!
Easier said than done... I doubt I'd do anything much for anyone if I myself was hungry. As is the case this morning
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