Resource Management Innovations

Listen To The Music: Part II

Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.
Henry David Thoreau

I’m not for a moment suggesting that Thoreau’s quote is at all gender specific. In my pastoral-counseling days I met with more folks than not, who as adults had lived out a purpose-less life. When given the opportunity to share with me, “if you could do anything you wanted to do” … the answer came quickly. Too quickly. They had a song. They could ‘name that tune’ … and regrettably it was still stuck inside them. It (the song) had never had a vehicle of expression.



Imagine if you would the physiology of that. The natural tension experienced from having lived (or living: present tense) a life that was not used for the purpose intended. In counseling circles we see it all the time. In his book: The Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren speaks of a life experience that I see all around me. It is no respecter of age, ethnicity, gender or income bracket. “The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose” (p.30). Warren goes on to say “People who don’t know their purpose try to do too much – and that causes stress, fatigue and conflict. A ‘purpose driven life’ leads to a simpler lifestyle and a saner schedule”.  Ah, there's the rub.

Don’t you just intuitively know that to be correct? Get past the messenger for a moment if you have a predisposition against Hawaiian shirts (aka Rick Warren) … and focus on the message. In some cases it may be unconscious incompetence … I don’t know what I don’t know? That’s OK. But, there are answers. I do however need to be able to hear them (the music) … recognize them, and to give myself license to act upon them. I suggest unconscious incompetence respectfully, as some folks have never stepped off the life-cycle long enough for a purpose assessment. Here is a wonderful, while somewhat troubling quote: “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are” (Anais Nin). I say that to say this … “The way you see your life shapes your life”.



I had a remarkable Sergeant Major in the army. A man who had seen and participated in conflict resolution on a global scale and was determined to teach ‘his men’ the value of discipline. He was the first to teach me (for example) not to resist the word. Discipline, he would remind us is in our self interest. At about that point in his barking most of my colleagues would mumble a “yeah – right” … as he would complete his thought. At its root, is the word ‘Disciple’ which from our original texts means ‘to teach’. It is always intended to be corrective. If it is punitive … it is by definition not discipline.

It was my crusty (while crisp and buttoned down) Sergeant Major that taught me … “the way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act”. The reason I know that to be true, is that (here is a wacky tidbit for you) … ‘serving is the opposite of our natural inclination’.

A personal example comes to mind. Joy and our two children (as young teens) would volunteer at a street ministry soup kitchen on Saturdays. Without exception, it was a tough ride there. I could think of a hundred things I could be doing, or should be doing that would return far greater value that trying to remedy the ills of the world in a soup kitchen for the street folks. I could hardly correct my kids thinking when they protested … and we would ‘drive’ ourselves to the soup kitchen. Again, without exception … each of us would experience something profound while there that would rock our world. The ride home afterward would often be very still, very quiet with a reverent reflection … and one of us would always (always!) offer up … “am I ever glad we went today”. The message was never lost on mom & dad, but I am so grateful for those purposeful life lessons that my kids ‘caught’. Sometimes from the most unlikely teachers. But catch them we did. I haven't always been the most willing student.

Your (my) ‘shaping’ is of infinite importance. I would also counsel that it needs to be intentional in order for it to be purpose-full. Think about it. Before an architect can put pen to paper in the design of a building, they must first answer the questions … “What will be its purpose? What will be its use?” The intended function of the building (don’t miss this … ) always determines its form. What, always precedes how.



You are, the way you are, because you were intended to fulfill a specific purpose. Not to complicate matters … but here are some statistics that are intended to be complimentary … regardless of your training or vocation:

• The average person (you and me) possess between 500 and 700 different skills and abilities.
• Your brain can store 100 trillion facts.
• Your mind can handle 15,000 decisions per second (for example when your digestive system is working).
• Your nose can discern up to 10,000 different odors.
• Your touch can detect an item 1/25,000th of an inch thick.
• Your tongue can detect one part of quinine in 2 million parts of water.

The list of course goes on. The illustration is … that you (YOU) are one amazing bundle of capabilities. The challenge and I would argue our responsibility is to identify and release your gifting in service. If the evening news and the tabloids are any indication … we know that fame and fortune is not the end game or potentially the end to our ‘troubles’. In no way does vocation, social position or the status of our bank account discern the unique and special purpose that our life represents. If that were the case … where would Gandhi and Mother Theresa fit on the purpose-full radar?

Please note … I am not (read: Am Not) advocating the comparison of ourselves with others. That is a terribly flawed and failed strategy. The challenge before us is to ‘do OUR own work well, while not comparing ourselves to others’.

We know from the scriptures that where there is no vision, the people perish. As Paul Bunyan would say, “If my life is fruitless, it doesn’t matter who praises me. If my life is fruitful, it doesn’t matter who criticizes me.”

Going back to where we began this conversation … my intent is to provide some clarity on the path of defining your, our, my purpose. The end game. The fruit. What is it that I am here to do? I desperately wish not to go to the grave with the song still in me. To have lived a life of quiet desperation. Respectfully, I purpose not to be most men.

As I mentioned in Part I … because others cannot, or choose not to hear the music … is not a license for you to give up on the symphony that resounds within you. Listen to your music. Surround yourself with folks who share it, focus and channel it … and let it craft your (purpose-full) steps. We are going to discuss some practical, real world tools and techniques to do that in blogs to come. It is my sincerest, deepest hope and prayer that you will take the opportunity (if you haven’t) to discern your very unique and special gifting … and use it in the expression of your life’s work. The reason you are here. Nobody else can do it. Nobody else is supposed to do it. We are counting on you.

YOU … make a difference. The team needs you. Please do not withhold your music from us. Thanks.

Blessings;

Rick @ RMI
 

Posted By: Rick Kneeshaw 2010/07/04
Categories: Reflections: Lessons Learned