I again feel compelled share something. No fancy wording, and maybe even a bit of rambling, but here it goes.
I’m asked often, “Why is there suffering?” “Why is there pain?” and questions of the like. This evening I watched the movie, “The Soloist”. It deals with a homeless man and another man’s attempts to help him recover his musical gifts. Another question came to me. “Why are there homless people?” “Why is there mental disease?” “Why, why why?”.
Now of course, I know the “pat” answers, you know, the ones the theologians teach. I know them well, I have used them myself. Every time I have, there was a deep, almost secret whisper accusing me, knowing that not even I really thought that explained it. The bottom line truth is, I have no answer that covers those questions, other than, I just don’t know. That leaves me in a place I am not comfortable, however. What does this all mean, then? What is my purpose?
That, thankfully, I guess, I do have some idea of. I want to help relieve that pain. By helping to relieve it others, perhaps, somehow, I relieve my own. After all, we are all connected, are we not? And so I move forward in purpose, healing the world somehow, easing its pain, even just a little. I do it one person at a time. These are my gifts, I dare not refuse to use them.
What about you? What if you helped someone, just one person, ease their pain? Do you think, in some way, that may help you ease your own? Just being there for someone, like the character in the movie. Maybe just a smile. Maybe just listening. Maybe…..
We are all in this together, after all. I do what I do because it is my purpose. What is yours? Whatever it is, the world needs it.
So for this posting, no set up phrases, not fancy words, just a humble request. Take some quiet time to just think, and reflect on what is YOUR purpose, and what can that mean to the world, to God’s children. Maybe you will be what they need tomorrow.
