I remember hearing or reading at some point that the quest for identity and meaning in life is something only "the rich" can afford to do. "The poor" are consumed with finding enough food for the day. That is all they can think about, all their energy goes into surviving. This might be a simplistic summary of the main idea behind it but even so I have often wondered if this is true.
That woman bending over small rice seedlings in a rice paddy all day - what are her dreams? That man, chopping firewood in the forest or the child hauling water from the well to her home - who do they hope to be some day?
I realize that many are happy with where they are in life and I strive to find joy in the daily ordinariness of life, the little things. I think that is one of the big secrets of life. And yet we all, deep down, long for more.
I love this story I heard about 6 months ago about a young man, born and raised in a small village, in the mountains at the Northern tip of this country. One of our friends visited his village frequently and often saw him sitting around with a sad and hopeless look in his eyes. She got to know him and eventually arranged for him to come to the capital city for training. He started learning about electricity, construction, basic business skills, English and basic math. He also heard more about Jesus.
When he first came, he was shy, and spoke with a soft voice. He rarely spoke in front of a group of people. But the longer he stayed, the more he lived in a community that loves Jesus, the bolder he became. Now, he loves to pray out loud and is one of those who teaches his fellow students about what he is learning from the Word. He just can't stop talking about Him. He has been changed.
I love how much this shows how Jesus transforms people. He takes this boy, without hope, purpose, or love and gives him a significant purpose, secure love and strong hope. Shows him that there is more to life than just sitting in his village day after day. That he has a role to play in this world. A chance to leave his mark.
We all need a purpose, we all need love, we all need hope. No other place to find it than with Jesus.
