Is Your Purpose Out of Balance? 

I love my phone. Well, maybe not love. But I’m very attached. Except these days I may have to come up with a new name for this device.  

My mobile device used to be a phone—just a phone. Then it became a phone with a camera. No complaints there. The benefit of having a camera in my pocket is a convenience I’ve taken advantage of, and not just for selfies. Walking into Home Depot with a photo of the size and shape of a plumbing or electrical product has eliminated multiple trips to find what I need for a home repair. Of course, figuring out how to install those purchases is another story . . . but that’s what YouTube videos are for! 

Just a phone and camera? Not for long. Next came GPS/map access. Another benefit I didn’t realize I needed until I had it. Added to a map app is the Waze app, which tells me if my route includes unexpected obstacles. 

Speaking of apps, here’s where the scales begin to tip. Just about every physical store I’ve visited now requires customers to download an app for all frequent shopper benefits. Sales, discounts, coupons—all accessible via an app on my already-crowded phone. 

The clincher came when I set up a new wireless printer in my home this week. The instructions offered two options: using my computer or using my phone. Guess which option the manufacturer strongly recommended? Yup, the phone! 

So, do I have a phone with extra features? Or do I have an app container which happens to include a telephone feature? It’s getting harder to determine. 

Spiritual parallel 

You knew this was coming, right? You and I can wrestle with a similar struggle. What is our purpose? Why were we created? For 400 years, many Christians have found the answer in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which states our purpose is “to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” 

Glorifying God is a good place to start. This may look different for different people. We glorify God by living in a way that honors Him as we use the gifts, talents, and abilities He has given each of us. Problem is, our culture has a lot to say about how we use these talents and abilities. Even worse, our culture no longer acknowledges God’s existence. From that perspective, the only person we honor is ourselves! 

Purpose in the Face of Death 

This week marks yet another anniversary of my husband’s graduation to heaven. Not a date for celebration, and yet one thing I can celebrate is that in the face of a terminal prognosis, Russ never forgot his purpose. He took every opportunity during his final year on earth to point people to the Father through Jesus Christ. He glorified God by living for eternity in the face of death. 

What are you and I living for? Who are we listening to? Will the latest philosophy sidetrack us from our purpose? Will we be Christians who seek to glorify God first, or will shiny temptations distract us into glorifying God only when it’s convenient to fit Him in?  

May every time we use our cell phones remind us we were created for a specific purpose!