When I was young my Mom and Dad took our family to the Barnum and Bailey Circus. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy filled the air. Clowns ran and fell in front of us, and men walked up and down the aisles selling hot dogs, soda and blow up toys attached to sticks. We watched elephants, lions and tigers all doing tricks for our amusement in the three different sections of this giant tent we were sitting under while the announcer stood on a podium in the center calling our attention to one act and then another.
But when it came time for the man to walk on a small tight rope stretched high above us everything else stopped as the lights and our eyes fixed only on him. He ventured forth tentatively at first, sliding one foot in front of the other, then more confidently, walking quickly and finally performing tricks for us. My neck was stiff from bending my head to watch him high above me, and tense with the fear that he would fall in front of my very eyes.
The entire time, though, he carried a long pole. It was thin but looked heavy as it dipped at the ends from its own weight. Years later, when I was much older, I learned that the pole he carried steadied him, making it almost impossible for him to fall.
Our quest to live a meaningful life can easily resemble my circus performer walking on this small tight rope trying to go from one side to the other without falling off. Unfortunately, all sorts of things can cause us to fall. We may choose to ignore or reject God, neglect to follow his Word and break the Ten Commandments, or treat others in disrespectful or hurtful ways. We may have the best of intentions but have so much on our plates trying to balance family, work, school, and other activities that our days seem to pass without any real purpose or meaning.
But leading a meaningful life, I believe, is easy when we venture forth carrying our pole to steady us. Our pole contains many things. It’s recognizing God’s love for each of us and living in His grace. We will continually make mistakes and sin, but forgiveness is ours for the asking. We must seek to continually invite God into every part of our day. As we do this His priorities will become ours. And slowly, our pole will allow us to venture out more confidently as His strength becomes ours.
Beginning is easy. An open heart is all that’s needed. Silently ask God to be with you right now. Pray that He will remind you of His presence throughout the day. Slowly our thoughts, and then our actions, will become His. As we seek to be more open to Him, we will find we want to learn more about Him. Prayer, reading and worship will no longer be a chore, but something we look forward to. And in the process we will find that we are no longer the same.
It is our path to a profound life, one that has purpose and meaning. As we add weight to our poles by involving God more and more in our lives, we will find we are steadied and unable to fall. It’s not so much what we do anymore that gives meaning to our lives, but who we are becoming in Christ.
Silently ask God to be with you right now. Pray that He will remind you of His presence throughout the day. Slowly our thoughts, and then our actions, will become His. As we seek to be more open to Him, we will find we want to learn more about Him. Prayer, reading and worship will no longer be a chore, but something we look forward to. And in the process we will find that we are no longer the same.