Don’t Forget the Why

In all of our lives, we have spent a great amount of time, energy, and money is learning the how’s of life.  Much of this has been beneficial, and we are all able to do things better and better because someone taught us “how to do it.” The how’s are extremely important.

Knowing “how to do it” has certainly been evident while watching the NCAA March Madness Basketball games.  It has been entertaining and frustrating watching our teams play, and win, and loose.  Each team that started on the Road to the Final Four worked diligently on the how’s of the game.  They drew diagrams, ran plays, planned and prepared for the games.  They each one knew how they were going to do it. But alas, only four teams remain.

I believe the teams that remain never forgot Why they were playing each game.  Their Why was more compelling than the why of the other team.  They knew exactly what was at stake.  The team with the greatest Why usually comes out on top!

As we eagerly anticipate and begin to enjoy the beauty of the Springtime – a time of year that is all about fresh starts and new beginnings.  As the trees bud, and the flowers bring color back into what seemed like a barren landscape, it reminds me of the love that God has for all of us.  It is during this time of the year that we remember this love for us through the groans of the Cross, the gloom of the grave, but the GLORY of the Resurrection of Christ.

Jesus, the son of God, came into the world for this very purpose.  He left the splendor of heaven and entered into a sinful world and made a way for all creation to enter into a relationship with God.  This was His WHY.  Listen to the most often quoted verses in the Bible, John 3:16-17

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him”

Do you know your WHY?  Do you know why you are doing the things you do?  Knowing and embracing your purpose will bring greater joy and fulfillment in doing all the necessary things you do today.  I would suggest that you do some practical things like putting a picture of your Why on the edge of your computer screen, or telephone so that you can see it every time you make the next move.  I promise you the greater your WHY the greater your effort will be.  The WHY gives us perspective, persistence, and passion in all of our actions.

A larger question is do you students know their why?  I bet not, perhaps you ought to spend some time with them and getting them to think about this in their own life.

Yes, Jesus knew his why and always stayed focused on it.  Everything He did was about his love for the Father and His love for us.  Jesus summed it up this way …

“Greater love has no one than this:
that he lay down his life for his friends.”