I want my life to count! I know that I’m not alone in that desire, but why is it something that seems so unattainable?
We all seem to reach an age where significance overwhelms our youthful desire for success. Or maybe it’s just my stage of life. I turned 58 last week and I am truly more committed to making a difference in this world than at any other time in my life.
Every male in my immediate family tree has passed away by the age of 75. I am aggressively working on sharpening my health and my brain to break that string and push my life out a good bit further, but if I only have seventeen years to leave any legacy of worth, I better get going!
You don’t have to become a real estate mogul and make a a few million bucks to live a life of significance. All you have to do is share what you have. You might think your resources are limited, but I guarantee you that they are of greater value to someone else than they are to you.
If you and I are to live a life of significance, we have to start liberally sharing our three T’s: time, talent, and treasure. We have been created to give our resources and our lives away. Seek and discover a way to give your T’s in service to others. Your time, energy, and finances are precious resources–they are limited, and you are the sole steward. If you spend them in one area, you can’t spend them in another. When we say “yes” to one thing, by default we are saying “no” to something else. The key to significance is to say “yes” to the most significant things in your life.
Take the TIME you cherish or waste and get it focused on serving others with intentionality. It doesn’t have to be hour upon hour. It can be as simple as five minutes to write a note of encouragement and BOOM, you just made a difference!
Take your TALENT. Put it to use as you serve something greater than yourself. A dear friend that is in my Small Group answered my question, “in the simplest of terms, what is your spiritual gift?” Her answer? Sewing! I loved it! What is yours and how are you using it?
And then TREASURE. I’ve never spoken at an persons funeral, in which they piled their stocks, bonds and cash into their casket. I think that one is self-explanatory.
This Sunday, I’ll be interviewing a young woman that serves a faith-based non-profit that is changing the lives of thousands of Kenyan families that are living in the horror of AIDS and HIV. Check this out – It costs $300 to bury a dead Kenyan…OR, invest the same money with this exceptional organization and extend a Kenyan’s life by 25 years!
Care for AIDS, the group that is actually proving that this can be done was founded by a young leader when he was 16 years old! Time, talent and treasure isn’t always in the hands of older folks!
There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that says, “If you continually give, you will continually have.” It’s a perfect formula for building a significant life and a significant legacy. Friends, your legacy and life is not about what you acquired. It is about what you leave behind.
So Look in the Mirror Tonight and Ask Yourself:
• How can I gift my time away to make a significant difference in someone’s life?
• Which of my natural talents would I enjoy using to serve another person or organization outside of my work?
Go get your significance on. AChuck
