Fight for Something Bigger: A Life with Impact
When it comes to life impact, there are three different kinds of people. The first kind apparently doesn't find for anyone or anything. They're passively resolved to stay within their comfort zone, not rock the boat, and make life as palatable as possible. They are not big dreamers because dreaming is dangerous work. The second type of person tries to accomplish great things. There was a scene in the movie Troy that really gripped me and gave me the inspiration to write this blog post. Agamemnon, the great Greek "king of kings", sent a boy to tell Achilles to fight another warrior. When Achilles got onto his horse the boy said to him, “He’s the biggest man I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t want to fight him.” And Achilles responded, with distain in his voice, “That’s why no one will remember your name.” Achilles was willing to do amazing things. He didn't balk at the challenges in his life; he faced them head on with a calm, collected air.
However, Achilles did all the great things he did for one reason: Legacy. He wanted to be remembered forever. His deepest desire was for his glory to reverberate throughout the centuries. Achilles, and many others, fought amazing battles, but for his own glory, satisfaction or gain. This can be subtle or overt, but we all know people who are like this. We are surrounded by them at work, in our families, and even at church.
A Life with Impact
The third kind of person is another breed altogether from the first two. This kind of person does something that no human can naturally do: Fight for something bigger than himself. This idea is often lauded but I have the feeling that when most people act on this idea, they're really seeking self glorification and fall within the second category. The only people who really are able to do this are those people who have given their lives to God's mission.
You may be thinking, "I know lots of people who aren't Christians who do amazing things for others. How can you say that they're doing it all for their own glory, satisfaction and gain?" I say this because, more often than I'd like to admit, this seems to be my own modus operandi. I say I'm fighting for something bigger than myself, but I find that my actions are tainted by selfish motivation.
The Only Way to Have Real Impact
The Bible has a surprising conclusion about motivation and actions: "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools..." (Romans 1:21-22 ESV). In other words, anyone who does not do everything they do in honoring and serving God is a fool. All intelligence and careful strategy in the world cannot change the fact that, without God, our words and deeds cannot have any pure impact.
How is it possible then to live entirely for something bigger than yourself? God lays this out for us in the Old Testament: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8 ESV). God requires that we seek to repair social injustices and to desire others' good. That sounds like a lot of people from any given background. However, the last bit of the phrase is the sticking point.
Walk Humbly with Your God
"To walk humbly with your God" means that we put our lives in service of God's mission his way. Selfish ambition cannot have a place in our hearts when true humility is at work. When we lay our ambitions and desires at Jesus' feet day by day, hour by hour, we make room for his sovereign will to work in us to do tremendous things that are far bigger than our little desires.
One wonderful factor to remember is that God is not asking most of us to give away everything we have and live in abject poverty so that others can temporarily benefit. I could go on and on about all the verses in the Bible that talk about God wanting us to have great joy and enjoyment in life. He asks us to take care of ourselves and enjoy his good world so that our lives can reflect our enjoyment in him. He wants us to hold on loosely to what we have so that he is able to reorient it through his own glorious wisdom.
I would contend that this third approach to life can be infinitely more satisfying than the other two. We are not wired to have full satisfaction when we are passively letting life happen to us. We are also not designed to be maximally happy and at peace when our own glory is of supreme importance.
Our lives will have the greatest impact when glorifying God is our goal.
Take some time to pray right now, asking God to show you where you have been passive or seeking your own glory. Have him show you what it means to walk humbly with him. Let him know how much you want to know and love him.
For a similar blog on the power of being kind versus being nice, click here.
Question: What impact would your community have if it modeled this kind of radical justice-seeking, kindness-loving, humble life? Where have you seen this happening already? Where would you like to see it happen?