Our people have to learn to be diligent in their work so that all necessities are met (especially among the needy) and they don’t end up with nothing to show for their lives. (Titus 3:14, MSG)
The question of a meaningful life is difficult for more than one reason.
God, through Paul, simply said be productive. Bear fruit. Bless others.First, we must be able to posit what makes a life meaningful. Is it that we have built a happy family, contributed to the advancement of our industry, opened the door of opportunity for someone who might otherwise not have had it? Until we can define the terms (and come close to agreeing on those terms), we’ll struggle to convince a person that their life’s efforts are falling short.
Second, if our faith possesses the hope of eternity, we have to make the argument that all the good in the world doesn’t count for anything apart from Christ’s death and resurrection for our salvation. Try convincing your peace-initiative, literacy-advancing, animal-sheltering, hospital volunteer neighbor of that!
A former board member at Links Players, George Garza, now a pastor in Indian Wells, California, recently posted a beautiful visual riff on the line of blessing in the Parable of the Talents:
It’s a wonderful reminder that a meaningful life, while it may not come with the earthly accolades we give to celebrities and CEOs and philanthropists and even pastors, will come with the recognition of God. And what God recognizes as meaningful is servanthood.
Paul put this into practical terms in his closing words to Titus. He said that we need to be diligent, or devoted, in our work. And not just any work. The work, as stricter translations capture, is to be good work. How is this work identified? It serves others, those who are struggling even to keep up with the basic needs of life.
Maybe this doesn’t seem spiritual enough for you. Or challenging enough for your Type-A spirit. I mean, who wants pars when you can make birdies? Who lays up when there’s a chance to go for it?
But the wonder is this. God, through Paul, simply said be productive. Bear fruit. Bless others. You can do this just as well—maybe better—as a quiet servant in the mailroom or the mudroom as you can on the world’s well-lit stages.
When we live as Christ called us to live, we demonstrate the truest faith. We show that we believe him, love him, and want others to see him in us.
—
Jeff Hopper
October 31, 2017
Copyright 2017 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.