When death occurs around me I find it helpful to reflect on my own life. In the aftermath of Jack Layton’s death, it’s no different. To me, Jack Layton was a true Canadian leader. He inspired others with his passion and hope for the future. In his final letter to Canadians, he wrote this:
“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.”
Inspirational.
And it causes me to reflect. How loving am I? How hopeful am I? How optimistic am I? And then it strikes me, and maybe the same strikes you… have I really accomplished ANYTHING in my life?
Jack Layton will be remembered for centuries… what of me and you? What accomplishments can ever compare to his? What can I ever do?
I’ve grown up hearing the words “you can do anything you want”, and the popular slogan of “you decide your future”… but these lines frustrate me. Why? Two reasons.
1. Because I tend to think of what I can do – rather than appreciating the works of others. Even now. Look at this blog post. I’ve made it all about me! How easily I focus on myself instead of others, although its likely only partly due to cultural slogans (I definitely deserve some blame for that).
2. Because I can arrogantly think I am the man who can do everything better than the other guy. Comparison is the poison which has infected our individualistic society by putting our personal report card marks next to “the average”. And that’s just one example. We love comparison. And it’s sickening.
So from this point on, I will try to love more, hope more, and be more optimistic. But what am I to do about my selfishness, my lack of appreciation, and my poison of comparison?
Let’s do this again. From this point on, I will love more, hope more, be optimistic, be selfless, be appreciative and compare less….. But now that I think of it… this all seems a little overwhelming…
This life is so much! One great man dies and can anyone take his place?!? The selflessness, the love for the common person… who is like this? Not I. I know I said I would not compare but the honest truth is that the bar has been set too high for me to reach! Call me a pessimist but I must say this: there are better men than me.
I simply aspire to more than I can achieve!
And you can tell me “be more optimistic”. But that’s the point! I can’t be optimistic all the time; sometimes reality gets to me. So yes. My aspirations and achievements do not line up. Surely I’m not the only one like this. We all are in the process of setting goals for September that likely won’t be kept past the third week of school.
And this is why I cling, with all the strength I have, to Jesus. Because to Jesus, my loving God, it is not about my achievements! It’s not about being the best man or the worst man… Jesus loves me because he loves me. That’s it. So that’s what I need to do. Believe in Jesus! He won’t love me more because of things I accomplish, nor love me less for failing to reach my goals. Its perfect love. And I can rest in that, be motivated in that, and tell others about that.
Jesus is my leader. Who’s yours?
No Bull... from Noble. 