Dear Woodland Hills Family,
This time of year our calendars tend to be sprinkled with commencement celebrations–occasions which highlight past accomplishments as graduates “commence” upon a future of hope and possibility.
Commencements are often marked by statements of purpose and intent — goals. A lot is revealed about a person by his or her goals. I’ve cataloged a list of goals people have purposed for themselves. Some of them are great, others good, still others… well, they’re like ladders that go nowhere.
Consider a few of them:
It is my goal:
to be popular.
to become a millionaire by age XX.
to change the world.
to climb the 10 highest mountains.
to know Him and be known by Him.
to be financially independent.
to be happy.
to “burn out for God.”
to run a marathon.
to be pleasing to God.
to discover a cure for _____.
to be unashamed before Christ at His coming.
to be well-liked.
to have one unique thought.
to become famous.
Every now and then someone enjoys the shock value his goal brings. Like this one: Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse. Really!?
I was reading about Caleb today and came across what appears to have been his goal: to follow the Lord my God fully (Joshua 14:8,9). Now that’s a ladder worth climbing!
May the Lord help you as you evaluate and re-evaluate your goals.
Blessings,