“You
are still in Estevan?”
That
statement was said with a mixture of amazement and questioning,
with the emphasis
on the “still” part.
My
college
buddy could not believe that I was still here. Since our graduation, he had
moved four times,
always climbing the ladder to bigger churches.
In fact, he has become so well-known that he is now in
demand as a speaker
at many large events.
Meanwhile,
I am still in Estevan. June
4th
marked the end of my 30th year here and I could not be
happier! I love the people
of this congregation so
much that they have become like family.
I love living in a smaller city where you can not only get
to know
people well, but you see them often. I love
being involved with the speedway and going to Bruin games. I love the fact that I do not
have an hour-long
commute to work.
From
my
friend’s perspective, I am sure it seems like I have failed. However, from my perspective,
I could not feel
more blessed.
So,
which one of us made the right choice? Both!
Here
is
the thing: My life is not diminished by his success. Whether he, or anyone else,
gets to do more,
see more, or have more does not affect whether my life is good or
not. Conversely, my
longevity in one community does
not make his shorter-term stays look bad.
Each of us is doing what we think is best and living out of
the blessings
that we have been given.
While
it
is true that comparing and competing with one another can inspire
us to be better,
sadly, most of the time all it does is discourage us and make us
discontent.
Here
is
the truth: My life is not
made better or
worse by anything you do or do not do. My
life, just like yours, is guided and secured by Christ.
As
Jude
24 states, “To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to
present you
faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. To God our Savior, who alone
is wise, be
glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.
Amen”.
That
is
the only measurement that matters.
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