Nothing
demands our focused contemplation on the value of life as the death of an
innocent child. Philip and Darla (Eytzen) Brown laid their 17-month-old baby
boy to rest. The memorial service was a powerful witness that hope trumps
sorrow when believers choose to live their lives on purpose. The courage of the
extended family and the compassionate koinonia
of lifetime friends corporately declared victory over death, Jesus the victor
over the grave. This is life… lived on purpose.
On the way to the interment, I
saw this vision statement on a local church:
“Love God, love people… on
purpose.”
What a commanding counterbalance to the unexamined life of Proverbs
19:3
“A person's own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against
the Lord.” NIV
As believers, let’s live our
lives on purpose. Choose to take full responsibility
for your decisions. Bring
Glory to God in every phase of your lives. As
Eleanor Roosevelt once said,
“In
the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves.
The process never
ends until we die.
And the choices we make are ultimately our own
responsibility."
Living life on purpose. It’s a
potent ideal. Our prayers and our love
are with our missionary colleagues Dale
and Delight Eytzen and the family, especially Philip and Darla.
