What is my Purpose?

"Take away the adjectives and you have the truth." To Kill a Mockingbird"

My move to Nashville has brought about some of the most profound changes in my life. I'd moved to a strange city before as a teenager seeking to escape the Mennonite identity I had considered to be the cause of all my pain. It was a decade later when I realized that my life was nowhere close to who I really am. Popularity, copious friends, irresponsibility, episodes of substance abuse, no goals, and a seeming determination to destroy any ideals instilled in me by parents and friends. It seemed my purpose was to go against anything and everything.

Once again, wishing to escape I seized an opportunity to move to Nashville. I took some time to recover and think. Who am I and what am I doing on this earth? Naturally I turned to religion to find the answer. When a man is raised to believe that religion is who he is, that belief will always be there somewhere. Of course, life experience had made me both cynical and wise, not only to religious institutions but to myself. No organization is going to hand to me, on a platter or in downloadable PDF, the solution to my needs. I have to decide to do right and believe what is right and act on what is right.

A longtime friend introduced me to a local service organization where I spent some quality volunteer time. This enhanced my new awareness of my character, nature and needs. I'd always assumed that a man with my God given abilities is not a success until he is a lawyer, a university chancellor or some sort of educated and influential person. My fault was in assuming that successful use of my abilities would be evidenced by material and social status.

I'd failed to realize that besides my brain, God had made me a compassionate and sensitive person. Why not focus on building a lifestyle and vocation based on those gifts? Surely such a vocation would not only satisfy my compassionate nature, but also my intellect. Takes brains to do anything doesn't it? When it comes down to it, brains are just a gift and are only good for what God made them. I've found a great sense of fulfillment in working with homeless and addicted people.

With homeless folks, you definitely see life without the adjectives. It is food, clothes, shelter, relationships and God. Where to vacation, what car to buy, what church to attend, what party to attend all become pointless. We learn to live with our basic needs fulfilled, and in that can find great contentment.

Maybe we can apply the adjectiveless attitude toward a lot of things. Cling to our core motives and let the rest fall by the wayside.

On this topic, here is a link to a local man who has lived out his passion in a remarkable way. I have the honor of working for him.

http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/Special_Issues/Nashvillian_of_the_Year/2004/12/23/Nashvillian_of_the_Year/index.shtml