We probably have all asked ourselves at some time or another. Who am I? Darn good question. And tough to answer. Am I a husband? Am I a father? Am I a breadwinner? Am I a joke? Am I too serious? Can I see myself in the mirror? (For those of you who cannot see themselves in the mirror; we need to talk. But not at night. And not without some garlic and a wooden cross. I digress.)
What makes me...me? Is there something in man that needs to build monuments. Raise statues. Conquer lands. Ride bulls. Be macho. Or at least read macho stories. Or see macho movies.
I will assign the word, Significance. Do we as men need significance? If we do, how do we know when we get it? It's easy to find out when we are not. Everybody tells us so. Especially those closest to us.
Here's a discussion starter to chime in on. Let's see what you think.
Would you consider yourself
A. Searching for significance.
B. Living from significance.
The lines are open. Sharpen.
8 comments:
I would say that I am currently living from significance, but there are moments when I feel less significant. Certain events transpire and conspire to move me back and forth.
But it shouldn't be about events, should it? It should be about what's true......what God says is true about us.
That's a good reason to spend time in the Word and remind myself of what's true. I should do that more often.
Thanks for starting this blog, John. Good stuff.
I think I would have to say I'm searching for "my" significance. Searching for significance seems too vague. Living in significance seems too unattainable. Can I really live significantly in every aspect of my life at the same time? I think to find my significance means to find what I was created for. I think we can spend our life circling what we were created for, moving closer, going from city to city, job to job, relationship to relationship, trying to close in on it, but it remains elusive. When we move closer to the creator we start to get it. But our humanity always gets in the way. The only times we truly move closer to the creator is when were under pressure. I wish it weren’t true, but when things are going good we slack off, and slide away from our significance.
Holy cow! You guys are deep. I dont feel as if I am living from or in significance, maybe I dont understand the question. I am living in the best way I know how. Well, not always the best way I know how. But you get the idea. The significance of how I am living is being reflected in the lives I touch, knowingly and unknowingly. This brings to mind the time a friend and I were at a wake and he asked what would I like people to be saying as they looked at me in the casket. He tossed out things like "he really made a difference in my life" and things along those lines. I want someone to say "Look! He moved!"
I think it's a trick question. Two choices always make me think what if there is a third choice. Give me 10 choices and I will always ask, "Maybe there's an eleven?" That aside, the question seems to force me into an emotional response. How I feel about myself? Do I FEEL significant? That all depends on what time I got up and if I've had a doughnut and a dr pepper.
The truth of "do I possess significance" may be more profound. If I have no reason for significance then I must search for it. Outside myself. Over against other ideas or personalities. I'm different from that; so I must be this. If I believe from Scripture that I was created in the image of God; then my significance comes from Him. My job would be to determine for what purpose He created me. And to what purpose I should live. I'm thinking that's a life time of discovery. But a worthy life time.
Hmmm... the water looks a little deep to me so I'll just put my toe in (until I'm sure it's safe). I suppose I'm one of the ones who would LIKE to say they live from significance, but think I'm more searching for it. I realize I can do nothing of my own that measures up to what has already been done for me - and yet, because of that, is the need for me to feebly attempt to live out that significance. But in spite of my efforts - no, my INTENT, I fail. So I guess from that standpoint, I'm still searching to BE significant - or rather to make a significant difference. But perhaps that's just this human concept that men must "leave a legacy" of some sort so that the world can see we've made our mark. But is that so important? So what if I have a sewer treatment plant or an overpass named for me? OK, I think I answered my own question. Living FROM significance would be my choice - but I'm not doing so well - so far.
Oh... and good job on the deep-ness of your latest venture! And the thinking and sharing that will be taking place. After all that thinking, I'm spent for the day and hanging up the CLOSED sign.
"Where's the bus?"
He had anticipated that moment for almost his entire puberty-laced life -- the first time he heard those lyrical rimings along with his raw tunings - yes he was young and impressed and He was Dylan -- the most influential of all poets-troubado-ers-icono-classics -- and the little he was finally a drummer in a rock and roll band with a record deal -- and now that fateful time had come -- a festival with the Legend on the bill and the novice in the shadow as fate had it -- significance would play the role of forever-mythings - so the little he looked and craned his neck and wondered as the backstage day light lit away and when the stars lined up - and nature called -- in that most humid of moments -- backstage alone the little he ran smack dab into the the big He (Dylan) and bewideringly the lil he blurted out all of the most uninspired childish dribble about how great, legendary, life changing, awe-inspiring blah blah blah blahs that one drummer brain albeit LSD experienced in the oh-so-past could muster --- and then he realized that Dylan -- looking straight at him and only him was about to speak words of wisdom - yeah of significance that only the He could say ... as Socrates taught and so did the Messiah -- it was not a statement but a question -- and then it was over!
and
and
and ...
the lil' he had to admit that he did not know the answer to the sage's Q!
the lil' he was baffled because he did not know where the bus was! and he was not significant!? to Dylan anyway!? and Dylan wouldn't be the same to lil' him after that -- or would He!? ... hum!?
I looked up the word significance and it led me to the
word importance. I looked that word up and in it I
found significance. But in both word definitions the
the word consequence kept popping up. And when I
checked that definition. Yep back to significance and
importance. That got me to thinking. Are we going
around in circles searching for our significance?
About that time I heard my youngest grandson
crying. I thought how important he and the rest of
my grand children and my children are to me.
Maybe the answer to our question can be found
in the way we feel about our children. And how
important we are in our Father's eyes. Just a
thought.
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