From Success to Significance
I have not written anything for quite a while. A twist of events led to my having to postpone my return to Singapore for a few more months. I am not too fond of dealing with abrupt changes to pre-fixed schedules, but I guess if God in his absolute sovereignty allows for His divine plan to interupt my personal schedules, then I guess there is always a divine purpose behind everything.
Over the few extra months that I have spent in Peru, I found some time to reflect on my relationship with God and other matters. The writer Bob Buford wrote a book called "Halftime", which I had read a few years ago. He wrote: "Halftime is a pause in the middle of the game of life to reflect on who we are, what really matters to us, and to redirect our time and resources for the second half. It is a time when the quest for success loses meaning, and we ask, "Is this it?". We want our lives to have really counted for something. Something that will live on long after we are gone. Most call this a midlife crisis. We call it halftime."
I am not going through a midlife crisis. However, I do believe that God has graciously provided me with a period of "halftime" during my extra months here in Peru to reflect on what really matters to me, so that I can redirect my time, talents and treasures for the second half back in Singapore.
The same author defined the difference between success and significance in a lovely way: "Success to me is using your knowledge and experience to build up your own portfolio. Significance is using your knowledge and experience to share with others." I was just watching a show together with my friends here in Peru. It was called "Take the Lead", which is based on a real-life story of Pierre Dulaine, the owner of a professional dance studio in New York city. It is a story of the transition of a man's life from success to significance. Pierre Dulaine, who was skillfully protrayed by Antonio Banderas, took time off from his thriving dance business to volunteer as a dance teacher in the slums of New York City. Faced with a group of rebellious high school students who were regarded as "rejects" in society, Pierre invested his time, talent and treasures to train them in ballroom dancing. When confronted with the value of what he was doing, he gave a poignant defense of his actions. Addressing a group of parents, he said: "I am not only teaching your kids ballroom dancing. I am also teaching them values of respect, teamwork and acceptance, because these are what will give them hope and a future."
Different people have their moments in life when they are doing different things. Some have their moments when they are preaching. Some have their moments when they are negotiating a business deal. And some have their moments when they are dancing. I have my moments when I am writing. Writing keeps my mind actively engaged in the process of thinking, and the Bible makes at least one allusion to God's desire for Christians to engage not just the heart and the hands, but also the intellect in our communion with Him. In the 18th verse of the first chapter in the book of Isaiah in the Bible, God speaks out with striking clarity: "Come, let us reason together."
Over my next series of blog entries, I hope to be able to explore and share some of the thoughts and reflections that I have regarding the tension between the pursuit for success and the search for significance in our lives. The Greek philosopher Socrates once said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Let us take a step backwards from the frantic forces of our daily lives to examine the trenches of our souls and spiritual lives, for the heart is where the well-spring of life is found.
Over the few extra months that I have spent in Peru, I found some time to reflect on my relationship with God and other matters. The writer Bob Buford wrote a book called "Halftime", which I had read a few years ago. He wrote: "Halftime is a pause in the middle of the game of life to reflect on who we are, what really matters to us, and to redirect our time and resources for the second half. It is a time when the quest for success loses meaning, and we ask, "Is this it?". We want our lives to have really counted for something. Something that will live on long after we are gone. Most call this a midlife crisis. We call it halftime."
I am not going through a midlife crisis. However, I do believe that God has graciously provided me with a period of "halftime" during my extra months here in Peru to reflect on what really matters to me, so that I can redirect my time, talents and treasures for the second half back in Singapore.
The same author defined the difference between success and significance in a lovely way: "Success to me is using your knowledge and experience to build up your own portfolio. Significance is using your knowledge and experience to share with others." I was just watching a show together with my friends here in Peru. It was called "Take the Lead", which is based on a real-life story of Pierre Dulaine, the owner of a professional dance studio in New York city. It is a story of the transition of a man's life from success to significance. Pierre Dulaine, who was skillfully protrayed by Antonio Banderas, took time off from his thriving dance business to volunteer as a dance teacher in the slums of New York City. Faced with a group of rebellious high school students who were regarded as "rejects" in society, Pierre invested his time, talent and treasures to train them in ballroom dancing. When confronted with the value of what he was doing, he gave a poignant defense of his actions. Addressing a group of parents, he said: "I am not only teaching your kids ballroom dancing. I am also teaching them values of respect, teamwork and acceptance, because these are what will give them hope and a future."
Different people have their moments in life when they are doing different things. Some have their moments when they are preaching. Some have their moments when they are negotiating a business deal. And some have their moments when they are dancing. I have my moments when I am writing. Writing keeps my mind actively engaged in the process of thinking, and the Bible makes at least one allusion to God's desire for Christians to engage not just the heart and the hands, but also the intellect in our communion with Him. In the 18th verse of the first chapter in the book of Isaiah in the Bible, God speaks out with striking clarity: "Come, let us reason together."
Over my next series of blog entries, I hope to be able to explore and share some of the thoughts and reflections that I have regarding the tension between the pursuit for success and the search for significance in our lives. The Greek philosopher Socrates once said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Let us take a step backwards from the frantic forces of our daily lives to examine the trenches of our souls and spiritual lives, for the heart is where the well-spring of life is found.
posted by Terry at 8:42 PM
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