Why You Were Born

I have a confession to make.  When I was in high school, I did not like reading.  In fact, when we were given the assignment to read a book, I would usually just skim it to get the overview and then close it up with the intention to never open it again.  I know, what a terrible thing to do.  Kids, stay in school and read all of the books your teacher asks you to read. 

The main reason I didn't like reading was because it felt like a chore.  If someone told me you have to read, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I did everything I could to do read as little as possible.

It wasn't until I grew up a little that I discovered the benefits of reading.  I learned that even in fiction, the author would often use the story as an illustration that led to a deeper meaning.  For instance, In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain used the lives of a couple of kids to dive deep into the issues of racism and slavery.  As I look back, I wished I had paid more attention in English class.  Sure, I might have received a better grade, but would have learned a lot more about myself and the world too.

A few months ago I read a quote from Mark Twain that has stuck with me ever since.  He said, "The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you understand why." 

Isn't that great?  And so true.  We spend so much of our lives working hard to get better grades. Then, we can get into a great school, get a high paying job, buy a nice house, a nice car, and save for an early retirement.  As we read through that list, it all looks great.  But where is the, "why" in your life?

What is it that God really wants you to do?  I heard a sermon by Steven Furtick.  He is the lead pastor at Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.  He said something that caught my attention, and I am paraphrasing, but this is the basic idea.   We all want to find our purpose in life.  But most of the time we think it is a bigger, better job.  Or maybe we have to move far away to Africa as a missionary or wait for a huge opportunity to drop in our lap.  But in reality, we just need to be ready when opportunities do come.  And those opportunities are all around us all the time.  Look for opportunities to meet a need in your family, neighborhood, job, or church.  Get involved and watch God do something amazing.  Those are the moments when your, "why" will become clear.