Having walked through so many “what” and “how” about interpretation, I feel it burning in my bones to explore the “why”. Our lives are crowded with so many “what” and “how” that we can barely catch our breath. The laundry list of life is endless and growing. We are exhausted, we are demoralized, and worst of all, we don’t know “why”.
If I pack more “what” and “how” of the interpretation stuff and throw it into your life like a grenade, surely that can’t be a pretty scene. Should we all then take it easy, offer the minimum sacrifice to God that we can get away with, and call it a day? Somehow that doesn’t sound right. Perhaps we could, to borrow the name of Simon Sinek’s famous book, “Start with Why”.
What is the “why” of a saved and reborn life, once forfeited to sin and death, but redeemed only by the ultimate sacrifice of God? Why does the omnipotent God, who literally has all means and all powers at His proposal, and could have done anything including wiping us out, taking our free will, or just letting us rot, choose instead to let His son die so that we can finally live? His “Why” is our “why”.
We know His “Why”. He loves us. But sometimes we think and act as if we deserve that Love; as if He had no choice but to love us and save us. Is that really so? The Lord’s love is only one out of a trillion choices and more. The Lord has been good to us when He could have perfectly and justifiably not. That, I think is our why.
I once thanked God for salvation and proceeded to live my own life. I gave my 10% and served plenty of my time at church. I thought God should be happy with how much I “generously” gave to Him and His bride, and leave me alone to earn my own version of happiness. I bargained hard when He asked for more. I got bitter when He wouldn’t give up knocking on my door. “Haven’t You gotten enough from me?”, I thought and closed my heart to Him for the longest time.
It wasn’t until much later that I realized I lost my “why”. Everything turned into a tall stack of “what” and “how”, to the point I found myself playing tug of war against God with my time. What I gave was to pacify Him; what I withheld was where my life began. Love was nowhere to be found.
Somehow, from the crash sites of my life, out of the ashes of defeat, I understood more and more how wretched I was and how good the Lord had been good to me. It was God who gave me this alabaster jar of perfume. How much of it was I willing to lavish on Christ? As I poured out more, certainly more than before, I began to witness that I didn’t end up with less. Life, as it turned out, was not a zero-sum game, certainly not with God.
Starting with “why”, I find what used to be duty now my joy. The struggles have turned into invitations to new adventures in life. No matter how many “yes” I say or how much I give to God, I somehow end up with more and not less. I am far from having life “figured out”, but I certainly enjoy more peace, coherence, and joy than ever. Most importantly, I know “why”.
That’s also why I’m writing this, hoping that you may also find your “why” and serve in whatever area and capacity from that “why”. No matter who you are, interpreters, group leaders, ushers, and you who carry even more burdens than me, know your why, start with why, and perhaps we can again experience what Jesus said,
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
馬太福音 11:28-30 凡勞苦擔重擔的人可以到我這裏來，我就使你們得安息。 我心裏柔和謙卑，你們當負我的軛，學我的樣式；這樣，你們心裏就必得享安息。 因為我的軛是容易的，我的擔子是輕省的。」
马太福音 11:28-30 凡劳苦担重担的人可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。 我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式；这样，你们心里就必得享安息。 因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。
Photo by Evan Dennis on Unsplash