God Certainly Has Mysterious Ways… But He Knows Each One of Us And Our Needs.

Delta, one of the Language School Teachers

Of course on the day that I needed to hear it most, Delta (one of the language teachers – who is actually hoping to attend Wartburg) gave a morning devotion about Isaiah 55:8.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.' Declares the LORD."
He had just watched a movie that used that verse in jest to poke fun at one of the characters, a pastor, who was not exactly good at preaching. But Delta took a very serious approach to the verse. He challenged us. Delta began his devotion pointing out that we cannot pretend to know God’s ways. Then he led into the challenge. He pointed out the fact that there are many people who do not survive to see another day. And he confessed that each morning he wakes up and asks God why he has made it to a new dawn. Delta then asked us, “What do you live for?” As an American my first thought was toward what I want to do for a career – but that is our financially oriented culture coming through – Delta was getting at a more meaningful purpose. He asked us if we are living our purpose right now or if we are waiting for the future to start. He finished his devotion and everyone went on their way to class – but the thought was still in the back of my mind… what am I living for. It is a question I have asked myself countless times in the past five years especially. (For those of you who don’t know, five years ago in August, I was caught in a riptide in El Salvador but a Red Cross lifeguard came out of nowhere to come out and help me ashore.)
Later on that same day, I was sitting and talking with Delta for awhile, and he asked me what I was living for. Blunt question but one that isn’t asked of people nearly enough. My first answer was that I don’t completely know and I’m trying to figure that out with every passing day – and Delta agreed. He told me that he doesn’t know exactly what he is living for but he thinks that his purpose is to make everyone he meets happy and to make them smile (which, might I add, he does an amazing job at). And then he made his question a bit more difficult, ‘how do you do that each and every day?’ After a few seconds of considering the new question, I elaborated and clarified my answer. I told him that I believe I was put on earth (and allowed to stay here) to make the world a better place one person at a time (be it through smiles, an open ear, a shoulder to lean on, or sharing my experiences and letting them share theirs). I told him that I am still trying to figure out how I can translate that into a career. But that question has stuck with me for the past few days.
‘What are you living for?’
I am currently here in Tanzania, living the dream that I have had for several years now – but furthermore, I am living my life’s work. I have the opportunity to experience what I want to do for a living (live and work in another country and live in community with the people to help find ways to encourage development in under developed countries). Yet up until Delta’s devotion, I hadn’t been giving it all of the energy that I should have. Yes, I was loving every minute, but I was living it like a tourist who would leave one day. In the days since Delta’s devotion I have found my way back to those hopes, dreams, and goals that once motivated my every action. I have since realized that, all too often I loose sight of this motivation and meaning in life. It is so easy to get caught up in the petty drama and chaos of life and living among people in a material culture and in those moments we forget our real purpose here. I am a strong believer that people were not put on earth to make money and spend as much of it as possible. We are here for something much more meaningful than that. Too often I think people get stuck in jobs that waste their talents on the desire to make a ‘comfortable’ living. When in reality, they are living well beyond their needs and in the wake of that, they forget that there is more to life than the money and a job where you can make lots of it. Granted, not all of fulfilling your purpose is through your job – but I think it becomes a barrier and excuse for all too many people.
It all reminds me of the Bible passage regarding the body of Christ. But it isn’t just a body of Christ in my mind… it is a worldly body that includes all people. We each have our own special gifts and talents that translate into different ways of serving others and bettering the world – it is just a matter of figuring out which part of the body you are.
So now I pass along Delta’s ever-pressing question…
What are YOU living for? How do you make sure that you are living that out everyday?


Peace.