GOALS

 

It seems that society is obsessed with setting and achieving goals. You switch on the TV and you hear about setting economic goals for the country, environmental goals for the planet, sporting goals for individuals or teams, and so on.

And it's always been so, it is not a new phenomenon. I remember when I was young I wanted to be married by a certain age, buy a house by a certain time, or get that promotion before my nth birthday. Once my boss said to me about himself, "19XX will be a good year for me!"

"How so?" I asked.

He drew out a chart he had scribbled earlier and said, "by 19YY this director will retire. He will be replaced by either A or B. Leaving at least one vacancy to be filled. Also, we know that C will move to another branch shortly; that's another vacancy. And ... and ... and ... this means that by 19XX there will be at least four opportunities for promotion for me!"

How sad, I thought. This man had plotted his life on paper for the next five years. And was waiting for people to retire, move on, or die, to create space for him to move upwards into the organisation.

Don't misunderstand me, there's nothing wrong with setting and trying to achieve goals. Indeed God asks us to do that. Remember the parable of the talents? Servants who used the money given to them to do better? I believe God wants us to achieve things in life and to aim for a goal; but it should be for the right motive. Helping others.

Every New Year our resolutions are centred on achieving goals; whether it is losing weight, exercising more or whatever else we wish to do.

But then I wonder ... why not have goals that affect others. Every day I will do something that will make someone else smile. I will try harder this week to help someone less fortunate than myself. This year I will aim to be a better kinder gentler person. 

Or ...

This lifetime I will try to live a life to make God proud of me.