"Is It All About The Goal" "What Abut The Journey?"

March 6, 2016  

The great architect Frank Lloyd Wright tells the story of an incident that may have seemed insignificant at the time, but had a profound influence on the rest of his life.  When he was 9 years old, he went walking across a snow-covered field with his reserved, no- nonsense uncle.   As the two of them reached the far end of the field, his uncle stopped him.  He pointed out his own tracks in the snow, straight and true as an arrow's flight, and then young Frank's tracks meandering all over the field.  "Notice how your tracks wander aimlessly from the fence to the cattle to the woods and back again," his uncle said. "And see how straight my tracks lead me directly to my goal. There is an important lesson for you hear Frank,"  said the Uncle.  

Years later the world-famous architect liked to tell how that experience had contributed to his philosophy in life.   "I determined right then," he'd say with a twinkle in his eye, "not to miss out on the things in life, that my uncle had missed."  You see, Frank Lloyd Wright saw in those tracks what his uncle could not: It is easy to let the demands of life keep us from the experiences of the journey.  I hope many of you heard this profound revelation.  Lets hear it again.  It is easy to let the demands of life, {reaching out for a goal or concentrating on a destination} keep us from the experiences of the journey.  The most important things in life cannot be found in a goal or a destination, but on the way to, during the journey.  Life is lived within your interactions with, and in the personal relationships you encounter along the way to your goal.    Why, because for some the goal is never reached but it was and is the journey that makes up their lives.  My hope is that you are enjoying your life journey folks!  
Don't get me wrong, we need to set goals and work to fulfill them.  No sane person would argue otherwise.   But here's what young Frank Wright discovered at the tender age of 9, and what some don't learn until later in life and for others, sometimes never.  The objective in life is not all about a goal or a destination, as important as they are, it’s really all about the journey on the way.  That is why Jesus never gave us direct answer but gave us parables.  He didn't teach a goal, or a destination, he taught "A WAY", a way to live and a way to die.  What did he say " I  am the way" meaning my life's journey is the way, the truth and the life.   The mistake here can be that you trash the journey teaching, thinking that if I just professing his name I short cut all the other stuff and I am safe.  
We need and make goals but 'THE LIFE" and it's experiences are taught and found along "the way".   In other words what kind of footprint will I leave when and if I achieving my goal.  
Many make the mistake of focusing on or obsessing over the goal so intently that they become spiritually blind or even spiritually bankrupt.   Blind to the fact that sometimes they compromise their own values, run over or even crush others lives in their attempt to achieve their goal.   Countries have even been known to gone to war over a goal.   In the Second World War, the goal was to exterminate an entire race of people, the Jews and rule over all others as the supreme ruler.   If profit or saving becomes the ultimate goal as it is with many business corporations and religions institutions today, we again run the risk of compromising ethical and ecological values taught to us by "The Way".  This is why it is so important that people who worship the one supreme God fellowship and teach each other in the ways of God as shown to us through the life, death and resurrection found in our Holy Scriptures.  This is why the example of Jesus is so important in the lives of individuals and families who follow the Christian way found in the Gospels.   We need not only to take the message in but then we need to take the message outside the four walls of our group or church.  We need to become the examples for all others to see, not by only saying what we believe, but by actually doing what we say we know.   You know there is an old saying: if you say you know it and don't do it, then you really don't know it.  As followers of Christ it is our mission, it is our calling.   We must at some point in our walk with Jesus begin to live and share the freedom we have found in His way, truth, and life.  Just as you cannot skip ahead from grade 1 to graduate high school without putting in the time and living the journey.  You can't skip ahead to your goal without learning and living "the way" trash any part of the journey and you risk not reaching your goal folks!

Paul couldn’t contain himself, and gives us several important principles for our calling.  That right folks, I am talking about “YOUR MINISTRY” for you to have ministry and you are called by God through Christ to exercise it.  How can we do this without offending anyone?   Paul give us insight here and tells us:   

1. Find common ground with those you encounter.  Jesus’ love teachings are universal, you will find them everywhere.   Religion cannot contain them nor does religion hold the patent.   Besides God does not profess to have "a religion". only a people.  To show unconditional love of self and neighbor, compassion for the poor, the sick the homeless and those who are lost, these are universal Holy values.  

2.  Avoid a know-it –all attitude.   The Christ is cosmic and so are the teaching.  You can find them everywhere.  Any religion that proclaims "to be the way" is nothing more than noisy bell.  I can tell you what I believe but if it does not show up in the way I act and what I do, I too am just a noisy bell, for that which I do not do I do not really know.    Even those who walked with the Master daily didn’t know for sure, especially when he tells them He has other sheep in other pens.   John 10:16  ^"I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."   Here you might interpret what he is saying as: they may not now my name as you do but they do know my voice, the voice that teaches them the truth about God and His way.   

3.  Make others feel accepted.  Jesus hears from his disciples that some, not of their group, are using his name to drive out demons.  They want Jesus to rebuke them, what is his response.  If they are not against us they must be for us. Let them be.    

4. Be sensitive to others needs and their concerns.   Love and respect others as you would with yourself.   Share with the less fortunate consoling them in their pain and celebrate with them in their times of joy.   
5.  Look for opportunities to tell them about your faith in Christ, and what it has done for you.  Do not be ashamed of your Gospels.  The last one # 5 talking about or sharing your faith outside your group or church is very scary for many in the Christian Church today.   I would like to suggest here that not just one, but all 5 principals that Paul is exposing us are to be equally important for your ministry as they were for Paul in his ministry.  Unfortunately for some of our brothers and sisters in the Christian tradition the goal of salvation has become the main event leaving all else secondary or in some extreme cases, not relevant at all.  In this instance the first 4 principals Paul teaches usually go by the way side and the journey as the means to an end become secondary or nonexistent.    Paul understood that it is during the journey that you learn to live the way and accept others for who and where they are. Then and only then can you truly begin to serve those who do not think as you do.   Goals and agendas are important but on their own lead to isolation, separateness, exclusion, burn out, frustration, and anxiety especially.  If your journey in life has brought you to faith, do not be afraid, look for opportunities to share your faith with those who have none, there is where blessings abound for both.