Monday, May 23, 2011

Purpose: Even as a Brick

A few years ago a book came out called "Purpose Driven Life" that swept the nation. It may still be very popular among people. I have read the book and taught the material a couple of times. It is a good book.

Part of the point of the book lies in the title - purpose. Trying to find a purpose in your life. Being a person without purpose is like a ship without a rudder. You really have no steering mechanism to take you to a particular spot. You go on with life but that is really all you're doing...just going.

Sunday, we looked at this idea of purpose. Not from the book I previously mentioned, but just thinking about our, individual purposes. Even within that, it wasn't nailed down what your purpose was versus the person sitting near you, but just the fact that you have purpose.

We focused on a brick. Some feel a brick, by itself, would not hold much of a purpose, but we focused on togetherness and working together for a greater purpose. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

    Being Involved ~ I just saw a portion of one of my kids' cartoons the other day where one of the characters wanted to complete a task by themselves. They were allowed, but part way into the project, the character came into some trouble. They needed help. Much like you and I, we need others to help us get through life and any "trouble" we may fall in. Being involved will help us get to know people and them us, so we can be a great force for Him.
    Reduce the Load ~ As Jesus tells us to "go out" to the ends of the earth, when we are committed to the cause and each other it will reduce the weight of the responsibility and allow us to be more productive in the meantime.
    What a Structure ~ When you look at a pile of bricks, they aren't that impressive. But when you look at a structure - building, road, wall - it can be very humbling. When you work together with your fellow believers, it can create something that is really awesome! Work together and see what awesome structure you can create!
    Teamwork ~ Most of you have heard the phrase "there's no "I" in team." We must keep in mind that we work together as an individual to make the team that much stronger. There is power in every person that is involved.

Maybe there are days that you feel like a "brick." Small, insignificant bricks will turn around in a brief second to make something incredible. What will you create or team up with someone else to demonstrate your purpose(s)?

3 comments:

Lynn Hare said...

When I get introspective, I sometimes forget that the process I'm encountering is only one small part of God's whole. Seems like God's putting together a significant structure with His trowel, bricks, and mortar. He's creative - I'm sure He has many more ways of using a brick than we can possibly imagine.

Brick walls are often divine intersections where the death of one dream represents the birth of another. The new dream usually has a new team in it! New dream - new team.

Unknown said...

Lynn ~

Thanks for the comment!

Your comment made me think about a book I am teaching out of "Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted." We often do not realize God's interruptions can lead to other things. Sometimes the interruptions come due to our choosing and sometimes God's.

It may be fun to brainstorm all the ways a brick could possibly be used - from the trivial to the practical.

Lynn Hare said...

The Jonah book sounds powerful. I want to learn more about this God-interruption thing. Think I'll order the title at my bookstore.