Wednesday Word: Joshua Jones

“Want” is a weird word.  It suggests a sense of entitlement- which could not be more contrary to what I want from this year.  I want for all of us to be intentional- to choose to live with/for a purpose much greater than ourselves.  This is much trickier than one might think. It’s easy to get drunk on the distractions of day-to-day life, and wander aimlessly throughout decades of your life. Effortlessly dodging anything of significance. Then, you wake up one day, much older, and with very little to show for it.

This has always been a fear of mine. I want my life to count.  Hopefully, it has.  I hope I have improved the lives of my loved ones. I hope I’ve made some sound decisions, with the well-being of others made more significant than my own. Ambling through your life, with no real constitution or intestinal fortitude leaves people empty.  Just as empty as living selfishly does. As I reflect back on my life thus far, my lowest points were the times I was most focused on myself.  Seems ironic in retrospect.

So, join me in a noble effort. Turn the TV off.  Set the iPhone down. Spend some time doing something that matters:  improving the lives of others.  Volunteer.  Surprise somebody. Get to work early. Stay late. Reach out to someone who needs a friend. Dust off your Bible. Stop wandering through your life and choose to make it matter.