What is My Purpose?

I know what it is to want to hide.

When I was in college, I hated this question: “What are you going to do when you grow up?”

Some of us seem to know even from middle school. Others seem to have no idea. I had no idea.

I went to the University of North Texas. They wanted me to declare a major. I chose sociology. That lasted for about a semester and then it was pre-law. Then finally it was business. I eventually graduated with a degree in business.

I came to a place in my junior year, spring semester, when I decided I would quit school. We had an English test the following day and I didn’t study. You don’t have to study for the test if you are going to quit that day.

I decided to drive to Dallas and look at other possibilities. I thought that maybe that day, I could get this sorted out.  I thought I might be a radio announcer and so visited a school that trained announcers.  I then visited a trade school and realized that wasn’t for me either.  Finally, that same day, I went to the Human Resources office at the Dallas Police Department in downtown Dallas.

That hour, a conversation with a very wise African-American police sergeant convinced me to stay in college. “Son, why don’t you just finish college?” he said.

I actually listened.

At this point in my life, I was missing was any sense of call. I had no sense of a big purpose for my life. In my mind, life was all about money and caring for me.

I was not asking how God could use me in these different roles. I was not asking about a larger purpose that might exist in each of these job areas. Rather, I was thinking about what was in it for me.

Finally, I finished the University of North Texas with a degree in business. I worked for a time for United Parcel Service and even drove a UPS truck in downtown Dallas.

Then, I started over – I discovered that larger purpose.

Now what does this mean for you?  I had forgotten that their was a larger purpose for me taking up space.

Now, a couple of suggestions:

Have a larger purpose for your life. Consider these words in Col. 3:17. This is the time to finally say to God, “I want to do everything I do to honor you.” Have a larger purpose for being alive. A larger purpose than having a good time. A larger purpose than making A’s. A larger purpose than getting a good job.

Regardless of your major, look for a way that your work might honor God. Now I know you have to have a career. Yet, for a Christian, that is not enough. Start by committing to honoring God with your life.

Seek good counsel.

Some months ago, I flew from Waco, Tx. to Memphis which meant a stop at DFW airport. I was on a tram. It was full and there was a lady standing next to me. She said, “I haven’t flown in 40 years. “ She went on to say, “I’m eighty years old and richly blessed.” She said, “I’ll bet you don’t meet many 80 year olds who brag about their age.”

The tram continued and a few minutes later she said, “I hope I’m not intruding, Sir.” I thought she probably wanted to ask me something about the airport. She went on to say, “Your shoe is untied.” She then said, “I didn’t want you to fall.” I told her, “I need all the help I can get.”

This is true with most of us. We need all the help we can get.  Maybe God has put people in our lives for this very purpose.