My philosophy of life changed
OPINION —
Years ago I was observed that many successful people have a philosophy of life that provides motivation and energy for living. I determined to write my own, but decided first to research “philosophies of life.” This quickly exposed me to the philosophy of life of several famous people.
Socrates, the Greek philosopher, said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Succinct. Profound. Motivating.
Voltaire used more words: “The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing.” I liked better this quote from the French philosopher: “Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” Voltaire may not have known it, but followers of Christ are those who sing best in the lifeboats.
Another Frenchman, Rene Descartes, one of the greatest philosophers, is well known for these words: “I think, therefore I am.”
J.D. Roth, a not so famous writer, offers an intriguing philosophical statement. On his 52nd birthday, he wrote “52 Lessons from 52 Years” as his personal philosophy of life. I will spare you 51 of his lessons and share one I found helpful despite the loquacious gentleman’s excessive words:
“Be present in the moment: Accept life for what it is, without labels or judgment. Yield to events; don’t block them. Go with the flow. Nothing exists outside the present moment: Don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. Improve the quality of the here and now. When you do something, do that thing. When you’re with somebody, be with them. Don’t multitask. Put away the smartphone or the computer or the book. Be all there.”
There is much that is commendable and worthy of imitation in Roth’s assertions as we consider how to live out our days.
I still have the scrap of paper on which, while a young man, I wrote this as my philosophy of life: “Do the best you can with what you’ve got, where you are, while there is time!”
The exclamation point is my favorite punctuation mark. I call it a “squealer” — it squeals for the reader to sense my zest for what I’ve written. Over the years I have fought a compulsion to use a squealer. I know I have overused it. But I do love using it!
I like a philosophy that is positive, realistic and not strangled by impossible expectations. It should be focused on “here and now,” so that one’s energies do not lie idle, throttled by the idea of doing something “when I find the time.”
The word “do” is a good word. Life is short. While “waiting on the Lord” is helpful spiritually, waiting may also open the door to procrastination. Some of us need to stop waiting – and do something! There is, of course, danger in “doing.” We will make mistakes, but we can start over. The greatest mistake is never doing anything but waiting.
Since I cannot do everything, I need to focus on what I can do. I cannot expect to do what Billy Graham did. I am Walter so I must do what Walter can do. That’s why I use the phrase, “with what you’ve got.” I can use only my gifts; what I have is what I must use. Nothing is gained by wishing I had another person’s gifts.
I must use my gifts “here and now,” right where I am. “Now” is a beautiful word. If we wait until we are better, wiser or richer, life will pass us by. Now, today, this moment, is the time to “launch out into the deep,” to get busy doing what we believe is our life’s purpose – in this place where God has placed me. Dare I say it? That God wants you and me to “bloom where we are planted!”
“While there is time” reminds me that at best life is short and will soon be over. So the time to act is today, while there is daylight. Jesus said, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4). An old gospel song says it this way: “Work, for the night is coming, when man’s work is done.” I can still hear my dad saying, as he sent workers into the fields, “Let’s get to work; we’re burning daylight!”
No matter what your circumstances, no matter what your gifts, no matter how unfair life and other people have been to you, a challenging philosophy of life will help you make the most of the rest of your journey.
If you have not written out your philosophy of life, take a few minutes and write it out. Place it where you will see it daily. Mull it over. Amend it. Improve it. Review it often. Check yourself. Ask Jesus to help you live it out each day. Invite Him to help you amend it so that He is pleased with it. Above all, make sure Jesus is in it!
Very likely your philosophy of life will change as you mature. Mine has changed during my journey. Fortunately the Lord helped me see that the performance of “my best” was not what He wanted. He helped me change “my” to “our” as I learned now to live in Christ and let Christ live in me. So the best I could offer God was what I could do with the help of Jesus. Thus “our best.”
I realized that what God was after was not “Walter’s heroic service as a super Christian” but what Walter could do with the help of Jesus, as a servant of Jesus, a man fully surrendered to Jesus. Here, then, as I am nearing home, is the amended version of my philosophy of life:
“Do the best you can, with the help of Jesus, serving Jesus with what you’ve got, where you are, while there is time.”
And I can affirm, with unspeakable joy, that Jesus continues to strengthen me with His awesome Presence, despite illness and weakness, to do my best, with His help, to serve Him with what I have, where I am, until my time here is no more! Glory!
Is your philosophy of life helping you to serve the Lord?
