Bigger Than Life

Renaissance Man
He was bigger than life. Standing at just over fourteen feet tall, he was a formidable figure and I could see him at the end of a very long corridor. A crowd had gathered around him and cameras were popping like crazy. After all these years he was still quite the celebrity. Known simply as ‘David,’ Michelangelo had created a magnificent sculpture that made a block of marble literally come to life. The Renaissance masterpiece was unveiled in 1504 and is widely considered one of greatest works of art in Western Civilization. On a recent trip to Italy, my wife and I were privileged to see ‘David’ at the Academia Gallery in Florence. Seeing the sculpture in person is an amazing experience, but when you read David’s story in the pages of scripture you realize the flesh and blood man was way more impressive than the marble version.

Rock Star
David has one of the best resumes in history. Killing a giant while in his teens. As the family’s designated shepherd, he smacked down both a lion and a bear to protect the sheep. An accomplished musician, he entertained at the King’s court. He became the first singer/songwriter composing about half of the Psalms now canonized in the Old Testament. Crowned King of Israel by the time he was thirty.  He ruled over Israel’s Golden Age of power and worldwide influence leading his armies to many victories. All this makes for an impressive resume, but ultimately these accomplishments are not why God was impressed with David. He was a worshiper first, and a warrior second. He was courageous, but at his core David cared about what God cares about. God called him, ‘a man after my heart.’  God honored David for all time by declaring that Jesus would be known as the Son of David; born in the City of David–Bethlehem.

Regular Guy
In Acts 13, the Apostle Paul makes this simple, yet profound statement: “When David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep.”  Speaking to a group of Jews in Asia, Paul was comparing David and Jesus to show that one man served only during his lifetime, but the other serves all people for all time. It seems that David was the go-to guy in his generation. The big question is,’Why David?’ The Bible does not spin his story. David was not perfect. Both the majesty and the messy stuff are recorded. But, like any good father, God chose to identify David based on what he did right, not what he did wrong. There was much to celebrate. David seemed bigger than life, but in many ways he was just a regular guy trying to do his best. What about you and me? Can we serve God’s purpose in our generation?

The Best Version of You
I think the answer is, ‘Yes!’ You and I can serve God’s purpose by doing what we’re gifted to do, where we live, with the people God puts in our lives. This could be your job, your hobby, volunteering, full time or part time. What it looks like depends on you. Some people would say they’re ‘called’ to a particular task or vocation or mission. I think that’s a good way to describe it. The key is not to over think the whole thing. As people of faith, we may secretly desire to be ‘called’ to do something amazing for God. Something that everyone hears about. But what really counts is to ‘be’ someone amazing for God. Being the best version of you is what God has in mind. Then you explore what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing. To serve God’s purpose is not intended to be a form of punishment. It’s supposed to be fun. Just because you enjoy doing something doesn’t make it any less noble or honorable. We enjoy doing the things that we’re gifted to do. That’s the way God made us. The main thing is to discover what you’re good at and then do it with all your heart.

Long Term Investment
We all want our lives to count. Wouldn’t it be awesome if your life and legacy were still making an impact long after you’re gone? The best way to make this kind of impact is to invest your life in helping, serving and building up the people around you. That’s what Jesus did. He said that it’s much better to give than receive. It’s more fun, too. I find my life is better and I’m more fulfilled when I focus on trying to do what’s best for other people. Some folks call it living by The Golden Rule. When I love others enough to put them first, they take notice. For me, it starts at home. A big part of my calling is to be a husband, father and grandfather. Then I reach out to the other people in my circle of influence like friends, neighbors and coworkers. My actual job is to be a project manager, but that’s not the full extent of my calling. It’s part of what God has given me to do and it provides an income and a daily context for living out my faith.

Bigger Than Life
Remember, it’s not just people who work as missionaries or priests or pastors who are serving God. It’s all of us. You may be a teacher, accountant, auto mechanic, sales person, waitress, doctor, lawyer, banker, truck driver, factory worker, stay-at-home mom, or maybe you’re a student or a retiree. Whoever you are and whatever you do, you have an opportunity to serve the purpose of God in your generation. The next time you start to wonder if your life is making a difference, take time to connect with God. That’s where it starts. Don’t expect to be handed a blueprint for your life because God wants to hear about your plans and dreams, too. You may not end up with a marble statue like David, but rest assured God has something truly amazing for you. Something bigger than life.