Purpose: Discovering Distinction

Looking for perch and bass, distracted by the dancing in my soul from being outside...

I proposed a purpose statement in this series of thoughts. In the subsequent blogs we have tested each aspect of the purpose statement to see if it, a) is logical, b) robust enough for our needs, c) compelling to our soul's motivation, and now d) whether it creates distinction or not.

First though, here's the statement again:  As followers of Jesus Christ, here is a sample purpose statement: Our purpose is to know Jesus Christ, see ourselves as He sees us, live as He intended, and effectively share the same with others.

In light of these things, it is our purpose to effectively share with others what we have discovered to be true. In other words, discovering personal meaning in life must be inclusive of sharing our lives with others.

Opening your soul for another’s examination is a scary proposition. However, if we see in ourselves what God sees in us, we will recognize that we are absolutely secure in Him. As people blessed by His regenerative touch and secure in His acceptance, we are free to share with others through personal transparency. In this distinct way, we encourage others to personalize what otherwise is only principle.

To this point, I have primarily written in plural pronouns, i.e. our, ours, we, etc. More pointedly, what is your unique contribution? What do you bring to the task at hand that no one else brings?

Answer: You bring yourself.

We all have the opportunity to know Christ, to see ourselves as He sees us, and to live as Christ intended, but only you can do this for yourself. If you fail in this purpose, you rob everyone around you of the opportunity to see your unique expression of the life of Christ in you.

Not only did Christ live a life of dependence upon His Father, He also insisted upon sharing His life with those He loved.

He was determined to effectively share His relationship with God with His disciples, and He was troubled when they missed His overture (ref. Matthew 26:36-46). Their failure to value or comprehend what Jesus brought to them left Jesus open to the devil’s assertion that He and His work didn’t matter, that He and His life were without purpose. Yet, Christ persisted, not for the sake of His disciples, per se, but in respect for the purpose given to Him by God.

Our lives must be characterized by the same commitment. To journey through life with our treasure of life in Christ locked away in the confines of our heart misses the purpose of effectively sharing with others. Personal transparency is a portrait of distinction.

What is our purpose?

It is to know Jesus Christ, see ourselves as He sees us, live as He intended, and effectively share the same with others.

If adopted, this will fulfill our search for meaning and ensure that we live lives of distinction.