Relevant Life

As I get older, I realize how short life truly is. I am 46 years old and I know of people my age who have already passed away. In human perspective, their life was short. In my perspective, life is short whether someone dies at 1 or a 101. As a believer, I understand and believe in the concept of eternity. When someone lives with eternity in mind, then this physical life is short. It also gives that person a different perspective.

I keep thinking, who am I inspiring? Who do I inspire to be better? Who do I inspire to become more than themselves? Who do I inspire to follow the one true God?

Mat 4:18-22 GW  As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen.  (19)  Jesus said to them, “Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish.”  (20)  They immediately left their nets and followed him.  (21)  As Jesus went on, he saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee preparing their nets to go fishing. He called them,  (22)  and they immediately left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.

The word inspire simply means to fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something creative. Jesus was the great example of someone inspiring others to be more than themselves. He took average fishermen and inspired them to become some of the greatest leaders in the word. Think about Peter, who was a simple fisherman, but God used him to write a portion of the New Testament. He went from Fisherman to Road Scholar. Think about Matthew, he was a hated tax collector who turn from a dishonest CPA to a respected historian. The apostles of Christ all ended up inspiring others and without their inspiration. There would not be a Christian Faith today!

So how can we inspire others before we expire?

1. Live a life full of inspirational character. People follow those whose character stands the test of time.

2. Care more about others than yourself. By nature, we are selfish beings. Our life should be about giving not getting. It does not mean you can’t have things. It just means that things should not have you.

3. Become an encourager even when you need encouragement. I have found this process to be most helpful to me. Encouraging others always seems to lift me up when I need encouragement.

4. Be willing to invest your time. Nothing in life comes to pass without giving up personal time to see it to fruition.

5. Always be positive. This can sometimes be a hard thing to do, but a positive outlook even in the face of uncertainty always helps the situation.

It is important that we don’t fall into the mediocrity of life and settle for the world’s norm. Leaving a legacy behind is not about leaving your family physical things; it is about inspiring them and others to be more in life. Inspiring others is an action verb. Inspiration has to have feet. Get up and get out into the world and inspire others before you expire from this planet.