Have you ever thought about how small you are? Or how quickly life really does pass us by? Think about the last week of your life…were you intentional in your actions? Did you make a positive impact in your reachable sphere of the world and encourage others to do the same?
If you’re anything like me, you answered "no" to at least one (if not all) of these questions.
Check out this U.S. and World Population Clock.
(And here’s a live numerical clock of the world population)
The world population is equal to about 7.3 billion people. 325.9 million of these people are accounted for in the United States. To make that a little bit more tangible and real, in the United States alone, there is one birth every eight seconds and one death every eleven seconds. Something about seeing the numbers on a rolling and moving clock really brings them to life. Time passes quickly. Now this is not meant to scare you, but simply remind you that there is a beginning and an end to this life – it is our choice what we do with the in between.
In a world of constant stimulation, movement, to-do lists, and an endless amount of work to pre-occupy our minds and lives, you have the choice to be intentional. You have the choice to unintentionally allow your life to control you…instead of you controlling your life.
Perspective is underrated.
How you view the world is all about your perspective. As I look out my window, I see lots of things – a little cardinal sitting in a tree, the clouds slowly gliding through the sky, the branches waving back and forth, and the sunlight beating down on it all.
But there is SO much else in the world – it would be silly of me to believe that my view of my backyard is all that there is in the entire world. Wouldn’t it? There are people, streets, cars, businesses, schools, buildings, houses, and animals, just to name a few.
You’re probably sitting there, nodding your head in agreement, wondering why I would waste time pointing out something so blatantly obvious and seemingly trivial.
Because, many times, you and I look outside our window and that’s all we see. We focus our eyes on the immediate task at hand or the view in front of us and fail to look beyond that.
Perspective is underrated, so be intentional in all that you do.
Don’t get caught aimlessly staring out your window. Intentionality is key – focus on what truly matters! Spend time with those you love. Pour your heart into what you’re passionate about. Work hard because hard work instills a spirit of character. Love others radically because loving others shifts your focus outward. Be a constant force of support and encouragement to your friends. Life is too short to strive for anything less.
