Don't Accept Anything Less Than Life

How many people are living in our world today? How many people have life? These are two different questions. I believe there are nearly 6 billion people living in our world today. I truly wonder how they come up with this number. Is this from the accumulated census totals of all countries or an extrapolation of known populations. I suspect it is more of the latter than the former. This is how we get statements like: "Every ten seconds 3,000 people clear their throats." I have no idea how you can make this assessment. I suspect that accurately knowing how many people are living on this planet at any given time is impossible.

We also would be hard pressed to state accurately  how many people have life. Life is more than food and drink. It is more than respiration and propagation. It is living in a manner that gives you living purpose. It is being fulfilled in who you are. It is accepting who you are intended to be by celebration. Many of those who call themselves Christians have no more life than the rest of the world. They are good at faking it but they really don't possess it. They have no idea what life really is.

Many Christians run from life. They refuse all responsibilities so that they can go where they would like and do what they want. They assume that taking responsibility will curtain life. They are so wrong. Any acceptance of purpose brings life. It does keep me from doing some things that I want to do. It does mean that I will work while all of my friends are outside playing. However, that is what brings life.

We are amazed at the athletes who perform well in the Olympics. Many people do not understand that this could have been them. They assume that each athlete has a supernatural talent which enabled him or her to perform at this level. There is no doubt that these people are talented. Yet, talent alone will not make you a winning Olympic athlete. It takes hours of hard work. It takes bringing their bodies to exhaustion again and again. It means they will be working while their friends are outside playing. Many of the overweight lethargic people who watch the Olympics could have been in the place of these athletes if they would have accepted a different purpose in their lives.

Life is knowing who you are, what you have been called to do and doing so with a steadfast purpose. Life is a calling to responsibility. Simply going where you want to go and doing what you want to do will not bring you life. This type of living is like a swamp that smells from the decay. A life with purpose is a river teaming with life. The river moves and is exciting. The swamp just sits there.

Don't accept anything less than life. It is unnecessary to do so. God gives you purpose when He comes into your life. It means work but it also means fulfillment. It means you will struggle through tough days but it also means you will know why you are on this planet. It means holding onto Him to make each day count.

Jesus came for this purpose. Don't accept less.

John 10:10b (NIV)  
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.