Life-Theme

Do I have a bucket list?  Well, no I do not.  The absence of a bucket list doesn’t mean, however, there aren’t some things I’d like to do before I kick the … well, you know.

The Gospel of Matthew records Jesus’ encounter with a lawyer, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?  And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:38-40).  The culture in which we live doesn’t support this; rather, ”most men seem to live for themselves, without much or any regard for Thy glory, or for the good of others.” (Puritan prayer).  The bucket-list mentality generally focuses on personal pleasures or self-gratifying activities.  Of course, it is not wrong to participate in times of personal enjoyment, of rest, of refreshment – hey, sign me up!  It’s worthwhile, however, to ask ourselves and reflect upon what it is we diligently and faithfully pursue.  What really are our deepest passions in life?  The old childhood adage, J-O-Y (Jesus – Others – You), holds a simple and profound truth for living.  It really is a good life-theme!  And, it should be at the top of every Christian’s bucket list!