The simple, or most literal answer is going to be a mass of intricately assembled molecules combined to make a living, breathing and thinking organism. But we are more than that. Why do we know we are more than that i couldn't tell you but everyone knows it. It's little things like feelings, emotions and desires that let us know that there is something special to being human. I like that feeling, feeling like I am special, set apart from all of the other assembled molecules on this planet. Sometimes it's a drag when someone says that i am just like the dog or the tree. Who wants to wake up in the morning feeling like a dog?
Nope, we are special, us humans.
But what are we? We all have titles we attach to ourselves either self-bestowed or given to us by others. Suzy is a dreamer, Bobby is a jock, and Eliza is a dead beat. The truth is, most of the times, our titles stick with us for ever. I have heard so many stories from friends when they refer back to themselves in high school or people they knew and everyone had a description attached to them...
"Jeremy, he was such a nerd...."
So how do people refer to me? How do people refer to you? How do we refer to ourselves?
That's the question I have been asking myself this morning. I was taking a shower, getting ready for my day listening to John Mark Mcmillan's song "Alive" and this line came up "What if i could be something more than me? They say I have got a disease of the human kind.....Maybe in Your arms and in Your eyes I am more than alive." Not to alienate people but yea, I am a Christian, but this is a question that even people who don't believe can ask themselves.
What if I could be something more than me?
Maybe Jeremy isn't just a nerd.
I like to think of things in big pictures. So, in the midst of bathing, I took a big picture look at my life, not just my life but everyone's lives. When viewed as a whole none of us are nerds, jocks, dreamers, or dead beats.
We are living answers.
Our lives are answers to one giant question.
What will you be?
Everyday is another sentence in our story, so yea, maybe sometimes we are nerds. I know for myself, dork will show up on quite a few pages of my answer. Every story has a hero, every story has a villain. Which will you be?
Will we build our world (lives) up or tear it down?
The only way we will find out is by answering the question: What are you?
Today, I am the hero, and I am rescuing my world from obscurity.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Diakoneo
Diakoneo, Greek for "serve".
It seems so simple, so easy, but why do I hesitate so often? Lately I have been struggling with this big concept of legacy and what I will be remembered as or who I will be remembered as. To be honest, it is a really scary thought. Being the nerd that I am I gathered all of the books and read all of the research that I possibly could and across the board the people who are the most highly respected and remembered had one thing in common: they served. Think about it. From Jesus to Gandhi or to be less philosophical even Teddy Roosevelt all served. They placed others' interests and desires and well being before themselves. Jesus, apart from all of his religious affiliations was a revolutionary that helped shaped the modern standards of ethics and morals. Gandhi, a man who helped liberate a country, spent most of his time doing the little things, feeding people and sheltering orphans. Teddy, although in an obvious position of power, still focused on the welfare of his nation with a heroic air that has hardly been seen in any president since. We remember them. Not because they necessarily had a desire to be remembered but because they had a desire to help (serve) those around them. All of this to say.....
I want to make a difference.
I don't know how, I am not sure how it will look. But, I am sure that there are hundreds or even thousands of people out there just like me. My goal is to help create a people group that isn't remembered for these amazing feats that they accomplished, or because they broke a world record. I want to inspire, and be a part of a generation that is remembered for all of the little things. For stopping to walk a lady across the street, to help unload groceries, to stop and listen to an old man's story. Things that every single one of us can do with out any distinguishing qualities, other than our distinguishing acts. And in the end, we will be remembered. Maybe not with crosses, or stuffed animals, but in the hearts and minds of the people we touch, we will be remembered.
It seems so simple, so easy, but why do I hesitate so often? Lately I have been struggling with this big concept of legacy and what I will be remembered as or who I will be remembered as. To be honest, it is a really scary thought. Being the nerd that I am I gathered all of the books and read all of the research that I possibly could and across the board the people who are the most highly respected and remembered had one thing in common: they served. Think about it. From Jesus to Gandhi or to be less philosophical even Teddy Roosevelt all served. They placed others' interests and desires and well being before themselves. Jesus, apart from all of his religious affiliations was a revolutionary that helped shaped the modern standards of ethics and morals. Gandhi, a man who helped liberate a country, spent most of his time doing the little things, feeding people and sheltering orphans. Teddy, although in an obvious position of power, still focused on the welfare of his nation with a heroic air that has hardly been seen in any president since. We remember them. Not because they necessarily had a desire to be remembered but because they had a desire to help (serve) those around them. All of this to say.....
I want to make a difference.
I don't know how, I am not sure how it will look. But, I am sure that there are hundreds or even thousands of people out there just like me. My goal is to help create a people group that isn't remembered for these amazing feats that they accomplished, or because they broke a world record. I want to inspire, and be a part of a generation that is remembered for all of the little things. For stopping to walk a lady across the street, to help unload groceries, to stop and listen to an old man's story. Things that every single one of us can do with out any distinguishing qualities, other than our distinguishing acts. And in the end, we will be remembered. Maybe not with crosses, or stuffed animals, but in the hearts and minds of the people we touch, we will be remembered.
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