And I think this is the most important thing of all when considering what has been, and continues to be, our purpose in this uncertain life which we live. Imperfection is universal in the human species, and as a member of this species we are all, therefore, imperfect. And this is very important to recognize. But it is not to be recognized and then given weight to limit us to a standard of conduct or as a limitation as to what we accomplish, or seek, whether successfully or unsuccessfully, to accomplish. 

Rather, it is the failure to recognize our imperfection which often leads to failure itself. We need to recognize our imperfection. But then, being aware of it, we need to strive to accomplish to be best of our means and ability that which we believe the Lord God Almighty has called us to do. And in that striving, we must not admit as failure any falling short of the goal which we sought to achieve. As someone said many years ago, and as has been repeated innumerable times over the years, the only failure is in not trying at all. When two good teams face one another on the football field, the one who, at the end of the game, has the lesser score is not a failure if they did their best to achieve a victory. In like manner, when we try our best to achieve that which we feel called, or led, to do, we are not failures if we fall short of the goal which we set for ourselves.

But I do believe we can be "failures" from the outset of a quest to achieve a particular goal or standard if we set out on that quest without seeking the Lord's guidance. When we, in our own strength and limited to our own level of understanding and (im)perfection, set out to do something based on our feeling that we are being led in some particular direction, we are very likely to fail and to fall. This is why we should seriously and prayerfully seek the guidance and will of the Lord, and wait upon His answer, before we take concrete steps toward an particular undertaking. And in doing so, we must be very careful to interpret our feelings and our own desires as being the voice of God directing us to go in that direction. It is the nature of man to decide what he wants to do and then to impute to God's will that which he has already determined to do. This is a dangerous thing, and often leads not only to failure but to the wasting of much time which could have been better spent on another purpose - a purpose in line with the true will of God, our Spiritual Father.

But what I really am wishing to arrive at in this article is the purpose which is common to us all, and which is clearly spelled out for us. I suppose what really brought me to the point of this writing is an insignificant experience which I had last night. My wife and I had gone to the Alabama vs. Mississippi State football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium, in Tuscaloosa. When we go, we always park well out, at McFarland Mall, and ride the bus into the stadium, thus avoiding all the heavy traffic and the hassle of post-game exiting. Sometimes on these buses, there turn out to be more passengers than seats. Last night Angie and I got on and took our seats. When all the seats were filled, a couple got on, perhaps five or ten years my senior, and I immediately got up and insisted on the lady taking my seat, next to Angie. A young black man did the same for someone else, farther toward the front of the bus. But then the last passengers boarded the bus, two elderly ladies, and there was no one to offer them a seat. It pained me to see this, and bothered me the entire time we were fighting the traffic congestion and then making our way to McFarland Mall. 

Why am I recounting this little episode? I suppose because it is illustrative of what I see as our real purpose here on earth in this too-brief life of ours. Jesus Christ said, as recorded in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 25, verse 40, that when we do something, even so small as giving a lady our seat on a bus, for someone else, whom Christ refers to as "one of the least of these my brethren", then we are doing it, literally, for Christ Himself! So what is our purpose? I believe that the ultimate answer to this question is not caught up in the particular details of what job we are to seek or to carry out, or what particular things we are to seek to accomplish or to quest after. 

Rather, I believe our true purpose in this life, here on this earth, is to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Or, to put it more plainly, to treat other folks like we want to be treated. And this purpose is not filled by merely uttering a friendly greeting, or by feeling sympathy, or even empathy, for someone else. No, our purpose is met when we do  for our fellow man (being, in the old sense of the word, mankind, whether man, woman, or child), even for the "least" of those among us.  The Bible teaches us that our worthy works will be refined, as gold, but those that are unworthy will be burned in the fire, as the chaff winnowed from the wheat. This is deep in meaning and in exactitude. This is our purpose: to do unto the least of these, the brethren, or children, of Jesus Christ, and that term encompasses the whole of humankind.

This does not mean that we are all to become missionaries to Africa or India, or some other remote or impoverished part of the world, though that is certainly a worthy calling - if indeed the Lord has called you to it. No, this is a calling of a very common and continual nature. It is to serve others in a quiet and unassuming way in our everyday lives, as children of the Lord (and here I believe this is to be done to believers and unbelievers alike, for how are we to win the lost to Christ, if we treat them as lesser persons?).

We, most of us, have jobs to which we go each and every day. We, most of us, have families - spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We have friends, and we have neighbors who may or may not be our friends (and, in fact, who may be very disagreeable individuals). To each and every one of the people who come into our lives by each and every one of these means of contact and interaction, we have, as our true purpose, the duty to do unto them as we would have them do unto us. If the only contact we have with a person is a one-time meeting in a store - whether we are the clerk or the customer - we are to do unto them, as one of the least of the brethren, or children, of God, as we would wish to be treated if we were in their place. 

The things which may be very important to us, in a humanistic way, such as our jobs, our incomes, our possessions and associations, often times have no meaningfulness at all to God. Rather, it is those little things which we do for others, sometimes so very small and insignificant in our own eyes, such as giving a tired store clerk or waitress a smile and a friendly, encouraging word, which the Lord assesses as pure gold. Our purpose in life, I believe, is to be aware of those around us, more than just an awareness that they exist, but an awareness that they are God's children, and that He loves them, regardless of their circumstances or failings, as Christ loved them.

We, then, are to love them just as Christ loves them. This sounds simple, but it is a serious calling upon our daily lives, and we are to seek to carry out this commandment of God, which is based in His love for us all, throughout the world, in all our relationships, however insignificant, however brief, or, to the contrary, however constant and close, such as with our own spouse and children, our parents, our fellows at our jobs, etc. Sometimes we will do for our own, and for no one else. Sometimes we will get so caught up in helping strangers, or peoples half way around the world, that we neglect the precious souls in our own household. But our duty is to all, starting at home, then at our places of employment and our Church, then our neighborhood, our community, our county, our State or region, and so on.

We cannot do it all, and we cannot solve the world's problems. Jesus said "the poor you will have with you always (Matthew 26:11)". And there will always be needs, and many of these needs are far beyond our individual means to meaningfully address, but if we will set about to do for others as we would like them to do for us, whether it be through sharing a smile or a kind word, giving to the Salvation Army or other worthy charities, helping out someone in our community who has fallen and needs someone to give them a hand and pick them up, doing a kindness, or just listening to someone who is hurting and feeling helpless or alone, then I believe we will be fulfilling our Purpose here on this ol' earth of ours, which truly belongs to God. 

I often encounter a grumpy, unfriendly, or disagreeable individual in my daily life, just as you do, and each and every time I do so I cannot help but think how much easier their life would be if they would smile and think about the person with whom they are interacting rather than themselves. If you'll be the person with a smile and a kind word of encouragement, the person who makes a little effort to reach out when opportunities arise, I believe you will be carrying out your purpose in life. And the best thing of all is that when you do, God will bless you even as you bless them.

So, what is your purpose in life? I think I've got mine figured out.  

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