Good or Good for Something?

Be not simply good - be good for something. (Henry David Thoreau) What is that "something" for you? We all strive to be 'good', but how much do we strive to be 'good for something'? I think Thoreau was maybe trying to tell us we all have that 'something' God has placed us on this earth to do and we won't be totally fulfilling our purpose until we recognize and move into that 'something'. We do focus on 'being good' a lot more than we focus on finding our 'something' we are really 'good at' and then finding how that 'something' can bless the lives of others.

God made everything with a place and purpose... (Proverbs 16:4)

Our place and purpose has been defined by God - at the time he formed us in our mother's womb, that purpose began to take form. The 'something' we were created to fulfill began long before we ever knew life. It may take a while for us to figure out what our 'something' is that we have been called to fulfill, but we can never let another define that for us. The only one who should 'define' it for us is Christ himself. As the creator of all things, including us, isn't it wisest to allow the 'definition' of who we are and what we are placed her to fulfill be left to him?

Too many of us allow others to 'define' us - to tell us our purpose on this earth. I wasn't created to be an architect, but I can build stuff. I wasn't created to be a musician, but I can read a little music. You wouldn't want me to design your home because I don't understand all the stuff that goes into it. I can drive a nail, install a faucet, and even lay a little tile, but there is a vast difference in being available to help with these tasks and being the one who designs the tasks that make up the whole building! I remember trying to learn to play the guitar - although I could strum a few tunes pretty well, I wasn't created to be a musician.

My calling is quite different from yours - but I didn't allow anyone to define my calling as they saw it should be. If I had allowed that to occur, the military would have made me an automobile mechanic! That was one of the things I scored well on in my testing, but stop for a moment to consider that nursing is really being a little bit of a 'mechanic' - the 'engine' and 'drive-train' are just a little different! Aptitude testing is one thing - fulfilling God's purpose in life is quite another. Don't just strive for 'good' or 'good enough' in life - strive to be good for that 'something' God created you to fulfill. Just sayin!

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