[Abundant Life: Life with Meaning and Purpose] - Paul Sungro Lee

John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

There are people whose lives are lived to steal, kill, and destroy others. People are hurting because of their life. Jesus was challenging me to pursue the life of following his footsteps. I was challenged again to make my goalpost a life that makes other people live an abundant life and that, in turn, makes this world a better place. At the prevailing thought that I’m renting this life from Christ with a lease that expires in about 80-90 years, I knew I’d have to wisely set a course of my life. What would remain after my time on earth is over? A deep contemplation led me to figure that I’d be able to leave two things behind: first, the cause of Christ, and second, people I’ve influenced for it. I had to rearrange my priorities in line with these criteria. Finance, education, time, relationship—everything had to be aligned to this new worldview. That was the clincher. Surprisingly, it wasn’t quite difficult. Once this worldview was engraved in my soul, the rest of the pieces of life details came to find their matches to complete the puzzle of life.

Mark Twain said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” One of the reasons I believe Jesus chose to live as a carpenter in his earthly life was because carpenters normally work with three major tools everyday: nails, timbers, and hammers. He lived with them for nearly thirty years. Those three tools were the very mechanisms by which he would die for the sins of the world. He lived to die for us. Perhaps he was constantly reminding himself of his call by living in such an environment. This tells us even today that if you prayerfully reflect your past and the way you have walked by now, you can possibly see a hint of your call. If you contemplate your childhood and the way you were brought up in luxury or austerity, there is probably an answer. There might be some footprints of the Lord that have been guiding you throughout.

* This article is excerpted from [Disciples of the Nations: Multiplying Disciples and Churches in Global Contexts]. To purchase and read the rest of the book, please visit Amazon or Wipf & Stock Publishers.