What not to do

More Thoughts on Purpose (06)

HI FRIENDS

There’s a very strange story in the Bible that has captured my imagination for quite some time. While Jesus was teaching, someone stood up from the crowd and asked him “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” At which point he replied “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”

Yep, so that’s it. Short. Punchy… and kind of perplexing.

It left me thinking: Umm, Jesus, is that it? Aren’t you going to help the guy?

But the more I reflect on this story, the more I can see that Jesus is not just a generic nice guy who will do what people need at any moment. He is a man on a mission. A divine mission. And he isn’t going to be distracted by the petty disputes or demands of others.

In some ways, the answer was at the beginning of the question: “Teacher…” He may as well have replied: ‘You call me a teacher and that is what I will do.’

I eventually saw that it’s precisely because he knows who he is and the mission he is on that he can say ‘this is not my job’.

And surely it is the same for us.

The world is not neutral. It will demand our time, energy and attention. And it will get its way unless we have something better to pursue.

Whether it be disputes about politics, family feuds, or the latest Twitter drama; people will want to drag us into them and away from our vocation.

Or maybe it’s that we just want to get along with everyone. Which is only natural. But is that what you’re made for? Are we made to just get along? Is it your mission simply to be a ‘general helper to everyone’?

The question is, who or what is your ‘person in the crowd’ today? Who or what is calling you to change the job description of your life and take a detour from your calling?

Is it endless Twitter drama and culture war frenzy?

Is it the gossip of your coworkers desperate to stir up trouble?

Is it a codependent friend who just wants you to passively absorb all of their cynicism?

Or is it obsessively tracking the success of your peers on Instagram?

If you can decide what you are for, it is so much easier to say no to the petty, trivial and ultimately unfulfilling things that come your way.

The world needs more ordinary people, people like us, who have come alive through their vocation.

In the links today I have included some great examples of the power of finding your vocation - there are few things more encouraging, inspiring and beautiful than someone who has found what to live their life for.

Godspeed,

T Mo.

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NEWS & LINKS

Quilen Blackwell’s unconventional journey to find service

Quilen’s story is a perfect example of how the path forward is uncertain and often quite messy and we can find our next steps sometimes in our weaknesses and blind spots.

A Chef’s Journey

Chef’s Table series 1 episode 1: Watch this amazing chef’s journey of following his vocation and using it for service in every aspect of his life. I had the pleasure of meeting Massimo a few years ago at his restaurant Osteria Francescana and he kindly signed our menu with this message:

“Cooking is an act of love.”
—Massimo Bottura

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FEEDBACK

Last week my heart was full after I received the following response from Claudia:

“I have been really enjoying your newsletters recently, really thought provoking! Loved the quote from today, so much so, I told my boyfriend James and he has written it down in his notebook to remember. 🧠 ⚡”

Please keep the feedback coming. I’d love to know more of what you’d like to see here.

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