Born to Live this Life
Remember the line by Mother Abbess to Maria in the epic movie “The Sound of Music”? “Maria, these walls were not meant to shut out problems. You must face them. You must live the life you were born to live.”
Such words of wisdom: “We must live the life we were born to live.” In the grand scheme of things, we probably are living the lives we were born to live if we’re staying determined, positive, fear-less, strong, trusting God and being the best version of ourselves that we can be.
Maybe you are one of those who studied, trained, and acquired your degrees and professional licenses to serve as doctors, nurses, attorneys, business leaders, teachers, etc. You may be living those lives and are giving your gifts back to God and to us.
Maybe you are living the life you were born to live if you’re a truck driver, a photographer, a homemaker, a janitor, a secretary, or are working in any place where you are able to feel worthwhile and appreciated.
Maybe you are a parent who keeps your children at home instead of sending them to public schools. Home schooling has been your choice because you want to keep them safe. You, too, are living the life you were born to live if you believe that you have been “called”.
I love seeing dads throwing a ball to their children in their front yard. I love seeing my sons conversing with their sons about who knows what. I love seeing parents at their children’s sports games. I tend to think “These are the lives these parents were born to live.”
The life that is right here, right now, embracing the moments, making memories, and creating family ties and bonds is what the world needs to see. Isn’t that so much better than negative news reports and folks who are bemoaning their situation instead of “living the life they were destined to live.”
I am reminded of Who our Good Shepherd is in Psalm 23:1-7 “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff – they comfort me……”
At some point or another, we have all walked through the valley of the shadow of death with friends and loved ones, but those “walks” are just temporary. The walks and living on the mountaintops are close at hand.
Bottom line – are we being willing, obedient sheep who are allowing our Lord, our Shepherd, to lead and guide us through the valleys of the shadows of death to the mountaintops?
Our Shepherd always looks out for His sheep and often, on purpose, allows the valleys for us to live in a state of dependence on Him – right where sheep typically live.
No wonder “I shall not want” were words King David used in penning that beautiful and poetic psalm. In trusting Him and His “lead”, we’ll be living the lives we were born to live.