--Jesus
Many of us contemplate the purpose and meaning of our life on earth. Just the other day a co-worker, a lady in her 40's, told me she is still trying to figure that out about her own life. It is the primary quality that separates humans from all other sentient or "soulish" creatures: we want to know the why of our existence.
And as we lose our grip on this world, through weariness and decay, the method and time of our departure comes more into focus.
My sister Mazie's health has been declining rapidly over the past few months, so death has come more into focus for us lately. In addition to wrestling with "quality of life" questions posed by her caregivers, I've pondered the meaning and purpose of her life. Before her decline, she was a very intelligent and capable Downs Syndrome person. My favorite story about her was an exchange she had with our mom years ago. After watching a TV commercial featuring the "Mentally Retarded" (this was pre-politically correct programming) she turned to mom and asked, "Am I retarded?" My mom returned, "Do you think you are?" "No", was the simple answer from an unencumbered spirit. "Neither do I", replied Sacrificial Love (the woman who refused to put her "retarded" baby in an institution, a common practice of the day).
Sacrificial Love is probably the best way to describe the truth of Mazie's life on earth, the meaning and purpose of why God put her here. At her graduation ceremony many years ago the school displayed a slide show of the two graduate's accomplishments. The first featured a young man's hand crafts. But the focus of Mazie's "accomplishments" were pictures of an arm around a friend, cleaning up after lunch, helping with projects, serving without fanfare. As I watched, I sobbed deeply at the wonder of a life devoted to caring for others so effortlessly.
At a recent visit with Mazie at her care facility, my teenage granddaughter shared with the nursing staff her impressions of Mazie. "Whenever she came to our house she would always look for things to help with like doing the dishes or folding clothes or making beds. She just loved to serve us."
I never recall her grumbling or complaining (except when we limited her intake of Diet Pepsi...) about any task. Just her presence and zeal for serving others could be quite convicting, believe me!
She, of course, learned sacrificial love from my mom who learned it from her Savior, Jesus, when she opened up her heart to Him after the devastating loss of her husband, our dad, when he was only 31 years old.
Jesus, as perfectly obedient son of the Creator God, contemplated the time and method of his parting this planet. Crucifixion, undoubtedly the most grisly and public form of capital punishment devised by mankind, was a well established industry after centuries of practice.
But as was his practice, he never focused on himself but rather on the meaning and purpose of his life: to deliver the words his Father God had instructed him. This Word, this Logos brought order to the chaos of the world. Centuries later Jesus Christ still impacts the world, because simply by believing in the Name of Jesus order comes into the chaos of every individual who trusts in him! He is the Truth of God revealing the Perfect, Sacrificial, Love of the Father for the world!
I have benefited greatly from that Truth: order from the chaos of losing my dad, the sacrificial love of a mom who refused to cave into fear, and the convicting spirit of my servant sister! The Truth of our existence, like Jesus, Mazie, mom and all who follow Him is what we reveal about our Creator to a world desperately in need of saving...or clean dishes and made up beds!
And as we lose our grip on this world, through weariness and decay, the method and time of our departure comes more into focus.
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| Proudly displaying her block M...for Mavis! |
My sister Mazie's health has been declining rapidly over the past few months, so death has come more into focus for us lately. In addition to wrestling with "quality of life" questions posed by her caregivers, I've pondered the meaning and purpose of her life. Before her decline, she was a very intelligent and capable Downs Syndrome person. My favorite story about her was an exchange she had with our mom years ago. After watching a TV commercial featuring the "Mentally Retarded" (this was pre-politically correct programming) she turned to mom and asked, "Am I retarded?" My mom returned, "Do you think you are?" "No", was the simple answer from an unencumbered spirit. "Neither do I", replied Sacrificial Love (the woman who refused to put her "retarded" baby in an institution, a common practice of the day).
Sacrificial Love is probably the best way to describe the truth of Mazie's life on earth, the meaning and purpose of why God put her here. At her graduation ceremony many years ago the school displayed a slide show of the two graduate's accomplishments. The first featured a young man's hand crafts. But the focus of Mazie's "accomplishments" were pictures of an arm around a friend, cleaning up after lunch, helping with projects, serving without fanfare. As I watched, I sobbed deeply at the wonder of a life devoted to caring for others so effortlessly.
At a recent visit with Mazie at her care facility, my teenage granddaughter shared with the nursing staff her impressions of Mazie. "Whenever she came to our house she would always look for things to help with like doing the dishes or folding clothes or making beds. She just loved to serve us."
I never recall her grumbling or complaining (except when we limited her intake of Diet Pepsi...) about any task. Just her presence and zeal for serving others could be quite convicting, believe me!
She, of course, learned sacrificial love from my mom who learned it from her Savior, Jesus, when she opened up her heart to Him after the devastating loss of her husband, our dad, when he was only 31 years old.
Jesus, as perfectly obedient son of the Creator God, contemplated the time and method of his parting this planet. Crucifixion, undoubtedly the most grisly and public form of capital punishment devised by mankind, was a well established industry after centuries of practice.
But as was his practice, he never focused on himself but rather on the meaning and purpose of his life: to deliver the words his Father God had instructed him. This Word, this Logos brought order to the chaos of the world. Centuries later Jesus Christ still impacts the world, because simply by believing in the Name of Jesus order comes into the chaos of every individual who trusts in him! He is the Truth of God revealing the Perfect, Sacrificial, Love of the Father for the world!
I have benefited greatly from that Truth: order from the chaos of losing my dad, the sacrificial love of a mom who refused to cave into fear, and the convicting spirit of my servant sister! The Truth of our existence, like Jesus, Mazie, mom and all who follow Him is what we reveal about our Creator to a world desperately in need of saving...or clean dishes and made up beds!
