WINDOWS AND MIRRORS - Sermon Notes 2

I missed many weeks, but today shall return to my notebook and share with you some wisdom.

Recently, what with receiving back exam marks, desperately trying to recalculate averages and the dreaded COURSE SELECTION I'd come to realize something: I have no idea where I'm going with my life. Which is unfortunate. Because I only get one shot and what if I waste it. And then come back as a snail or something. What happens then.

(Not that I'm a believer of reincarnation. But y'know. Hypothetically.)

Today however, seemed to put a lot of things in perspective. See, when we're faced with decisions, we're often given the advice to "Follow your heart." Wonderful. Go with your gut. Do what you love. But as we all know, that's not easy. At all. We look at what we're good at, then we look at what we love. And then we try to find out what kind of money-making career we can get out of it.

But following your heart can lead you so many places. So many different directions your heart pulls in you. And it changes, changes changes. All the time. Every day even. Passions change, interests change. If you need confirmation, just look at the people you've fallen in love with in the past! So many different people, isn't it? And so many different feelings that have come and gone. Hearts are fickle. To follow them means a lot of time will be spent trying to know, trying to figure out.

As we get older, our needs increase with our income. As we are now, maybe we want to save up for nice clothes or other so-called necessities like shoes and books. (But y'know, books, really ARE a necessity.) Then we get a job and suddenly we might just be able afford something more, something bigger! And we wish we were out of high school and in university where you're so free and you can wake up at noon and buy your own food and do whatever you want. Then we're there and worrying about income and rent and where to go for dinner and your job and all the stuff you might be able to do in your free time after it's all over. But when that free time comes you're so exhausted all you do is sleep it all away. And then you think of what it would be like to have a family to come home to and then you're moving in with your new partner and there's mortgage and life insurance and cars and gas prices on the rise and three kids on your shoulders. And maybe when they grow up and go to university you'll finally have that peace you always wanted.

But alas...

It just seems like we can never be satisfied to live the lives we're living.

Though mirrors and windows are similar, they serve two very different functions. A window is made to look out of, and to see what is beyond it. A mirror serves the purpose of looking back at what stands before it. To follow your heart is like looking into a mirror, seeing what you want, what you'll do, what will ultimately benefit you. But to live like that, with life changing all the time, that lyric from "House of Gold" by TwentyOnePilots really starts to make sense.

And since we know that dreams are dead

And life throws plan upon their head

I will plan to be a bum

So I just might BECOME SOMEONE

(It's in caps because he screams that line. As one does.)

So what are you supposed to do when you can't rely on your own heart to make the important decisions in life? Because it's hard to determine whether or not the desires of your heart are your own making or coming from God. Like, do I like playing soccer because I myself want to become a major athletic star? Or because God wants me to play it with my child in the future? Or because someday I'll go to a third world country and kick a ball around with kids? OR WHAT?!?!

It's hard. Yeah, it really is. And so looking into the mirror can be pretty disorienting.

So what do we do instead?

A window shows the world beyond yourself. Through it, you can see others and know others and see the Kingdom of God before you and really think that this is what you want to do. And I've come to realize, that if your mind is not set on helping yourself, but instead on helping others, no matter what you end up doing, you'll always be able to achieve that goal - to help others.

Don't follow your heart. Follow your heart. That is to say, follow what moves your heart. Follow the reason it beats. And don't stop because if you do that, you know that whatever comes, you'll be doing what you were destined to do.

And so hopefully I get my courses figured out, and at least find some true North in the direction of my heart as we continue this walk through the journey of life.

Stay saltful and bright as we enter the new week! HWAITING EVERYBODY!!!

#sermonnotes