Living A "Big" Life!

It’s Tuesday and time for some timely thoughts on this July 15, 2008. Seeing all the televised tributes and reading about all the accomplishments of Dr. Michael DeBakey, 99, the famed heart surgeon who died last Friday, would make anyone’s head swim. What a life and what a blessing his life was to so many others! Sure, he had more years than most but look at what he did with the time he was given. Dr. DeBakey personified this quote from Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”

While you and I may never have the opportunities Dr. DeBakey had, we have the ones that have been given to us. I thank God for the contributions a man like Dr. DeBakey was able to make but at the same time I must think soberly about the potential God has placed in me. No one is perfect and no one does everything exactly right all the time. But we do have what we have and its what we do with the life God has given to us that counts, for the present, for others, and for eternity. Often we excuse the little we do by saying we have little to work with, but that can be a cop out of selfishness since God is in the business of taking the ‘little’ and doing big things with it.

Living a big life doesn’t have to be one that gets celebrity recognition when it ends. A big life is one that involves itself in big giving especially of oneself to the calling God has made and the talents He enables each of His own to exercise. Exercising that gift for God’s honor and glory is where life counts for time and eternity. To live this big life one must have a big picture vision of God’s plan and purpose to love them, enable them, and see them accomplish good during their time here. The last time I covered for my black preacher friend his folks thanked me over and over for coming and being with them. I told them if they wanted to say something good to their pastor about me being there, then they should tell him they had heard from God because I had shared His truth with them.

That’s an example of big picture living. Sure, I enjoy people thanking me and complimenting my messages, however, that’s not even on the radar screen compared to God’s power to change and impact lives when His Word is shared! See, even I can get it right every once in a while. One writer said that the purpose of life is to have a life of purpose. I believe to find true purpose in all its fullness requires one to know God and live as He directs. While its never too late to get with the program as it relates to being busy about our Father’s business, it’s really great to get started as soon as you can, therefore, for my younger readers I pray that you will take this encouragement to heart. The sooner the better because God has so many for you to touch as He and His love flows through you! Let’s be big living people because that’s the life God has for us! Amen. …..More later.