A challenge on perspective

This video truly challeged me : http://multimedia.timeslive.co.za/videos/2011/03/running-a-tour-de-france-on-one-leg/

It is about a man with one leg who runs 30 kilometers for four months (which equals approx 3600 km over months) to raise funds for the fight against cancer. What a task - this for something he believes in, mainly because he lost his leg to the disease. Now that's a man with a purpose. I think a lot of us spend some part of our time on earth in search of what our purpose is, as we go about our everyday lives. In the mean while, our lives seem incomplete or one would have a feeling like even though you might have it together but there is still something missing.

Because this man knows that his cause is to spend his life raising funds for the fight against cancer, his reason for waking up on a daily basis is filled with motivation and determination. I am sure that at the end of each day when he re-assesses his achievements he has a sense of satisfaction. I would like to get into his mind and see how it works to keep these high levels of motivation. I know I am still on a search for what my true purpose is. In the mean time, I am using what I have to do something as best I can by God's grace. As the Word says in Proverbs 3:16 - Commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans.

My challenge to you is this: this man has one leg and manages to achieve as much as he has. How much more those of us without any physical or mental deformity? Shouldn't we be taking a leaf out of the lives of the many people with disabilities who have achieved so much more that people without disabilities?

Lord help us to change our perspective from what we think we can't do to what we can offer for you to multiply through us.

Traffic lights and points men

Travelling to work for me is somewhat bliss, unlike for most people who have to contend with traffic daily. I am fortunate enough to travel against traffic while most people have to endure this daily or plan their travel times around when they would miss being stuck in traffic. But on some occasions, like times when the traffic lights are not working etc, then I get to experience what some have come to be familiar with.

Being stuck in traffic is rather unsavoury and to say the least, frustrating. It makes it hard for one to really focus on the driving and the journey and rather on the destination. I would find myself thinking thoughts that I am sure you will identify with like “When am I going to get where I am going?” “Some drivers really need to reconsider going back to driving school.” I don’t want to be here right now” I should be where I am going already” “Grrrrrr!” at everything. I would notice everything wrong in that whole picture, which really does nothing more than add fuel to my discomfort.

 The experience and frustrations of traffic got me thinking about our journey as Christians. I thought about how sometimes, one can be frustrated to the point of screaming at some of the challenges we come across throughout our journey. They get so frustrating that we lose focus of where we are going – thereby making our driving experience more of a pain and less enjoyable.

Yet just as there would be traffic jams in our lives, there are also pointsmen who help ease the traffic and restore some form of normality. In Johannesburg we are fortunate to have the 702 Outsurance pointsmen (God bless the person who came up with that idea), who sometimes assist with traffic when things are bad. Our first pointsman is God Himself through the Holy Spirit, Jn 16:13. In order for us to follow the instructions of the pointsmen, we need to see and “hear” what He is saying. This means our eyes have to be on Him. So our spirit eyes need to be focused on Him, Ps 121:1-4.

Pointsmen use signals to direct us on when to stop, when to go, when to slow down etc. We also therefore, need to know and understand what the signs mean. In terms of our relationship with God, it is exactly the same way. Then we need to know what His signs mean so that we can follow in the signs as He is directing us. These in our spiritual lives can come in different forms therefore when we are tuned in, we are able to follow in those directions. Sometimes He used people, things, circumstances and events to direct us in certain paths, Luke 1:79, Ps 109:105-107.

Overall, they are there to make our journey smoother and help ease the traffic when it gets really heavy. One thing to remember is that the traffic jams are unavoidable sometimes, but the frustrations due to the traffic can be minimised when we are focused on the right pointsman. They restore order and normality to seemingly uncomfortable traffic situations.