Just some thoughts, some presented through other people's words, some my own.
"...we instinctively understand that art has to, in some way, keep going. Keep exploring, keep arraging, keep shaping and forming and bringing new perspectives."- Rob Bell Velvet Elvis -
"Day after day we seek an answer to the ageless question Aris posed in Ethics: How should a human being lead his life? But the answer eludes us, hiding behind a blur of racing hours as we struggle to fit our means to our dreams, fuse idea with passion, turn desire into reality. We're swept along on a risk-ridden shuttle through time. If we pull bak to grasp pattern and meaning, life like a Gestalt, does flips: first serious, then comic; static, frantic; meaningful, meaningless. Momentous world events are beyond our control while personal events, despite all effort to keep our hands on the wheel, more often than not control us.Traditionally humankind has sought the answer to Aristotle's question from the four wisdoms- philosophy, science, religion, art- takinh insight from each to bolt together a livable meaning."- Robert McKee Story -
So as I articulate all these thoughts in my mind, the words don't bubble from my mouth as eloquent as these writers' words, yet I feel I have to say something, because after all I wonder...what if we spend our lives searching for our purpose, to come to the end and realize that we wasted our time and actually missed it?
Society imposes on us a pattern to follow, in which we tend to get caught up. Such a pattern...that's supossedly meant to give us freedom, more often than not ties us down. It is as if our minds and actions were pre-programmed, because if we don't do the common, normal thing, we are either celebrities or outcasts, mostly outcasts.
I almost dare not say what Christianity has done in our world...but I will. There are certain rules that we 'must' follow to fit into the cookie cutter pattern of what defines a Christian, yet somehow I feel this also ties us down, making Christianity seem boring and more of a moral duty instead of life-giving and love-motivated. We have used these 'rules' to justify our actions. Actions of selfishness and self-righteousness, and what has evolved from that? Nothing more than controversies and intrigues...pointing fingers and gossiping. Even wars have emerged from this, collecting the lives of many, and stripping many of hope.Jesus certainly didn't care about the manners imposed by society. He stormed into a church, destroying it when it was becoming a marketplace, all to defend what he loved and what he believed in...real worship and intimacy with the Father. I believe He was revolutionary in everything He did. Never did He follow the crowd, unless it was to find those lesss fortunate and offer his love.
Institutions, authority and organizations have created a lot of controversy as well, however, they have done something. They have taken up a cause, whether for the wrong or right reasons, we may never know, but they have stepped out and written a story. They haven't settled for a routine or comformed to the normal standars of life. Think of Peter. The disciple that was restless and foolish, saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, doubting and making his mistakes something to talk about. Yet, have you considered the very fact that He was bold? Bold enough to risk being ridiculed. Bold enough to walk on water! He took the first step.
I say all this to ask: How are each of us writing our story? When we come to the end of our lives, and we are sitting around with our grandchildren, what stories will be told? One of comformity and lack of passion? Or that of boldness and compassion?Notice I dont say success, because after all this is a relative man-made standart, and at the end, it is through God that we are able to do the things in which we 'succeed.' It is through Him that we dream, that we accomplish. But we must take the first step. Are we willing to risk everything for a good cause? Or fear dominating our lives? Dare to do something with your life. Don't sit back and wait for life to pass you by, dont wait for someone to do what you want to do. Put fear aside, or if anything, just ignore it, because if there's anything you will regret is not doing something you were passionate about, and having the time to do. Next time you put it off might be too late. But remember that above all, love must be the defining aspect of your motivation, and that God will always be the only constant aspect of your life.
