Are you sure you know where you're going?

It must have been daunting. Abram responds to some communication from God to leave all he knows and journey to a land God would show him, or, as Hebrews 11 puts it, "....called to go to a place....even though he did not know where he was going."

It could almost be seen as tragic. The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Romans to secure a base in Rome for his missionary journey into Spain. Only he never got to Spain. He was imprisoned in Rome and died as a martyr.

Abram didn't know where he was going, but he got there; and Paul knew exactly where he was going and never arrived. Which leads me to make the following observation: perhaps, in the purposes of God for your life and mine, the destination doesn't matter as much as what happens along the way.

I know that isn't a particularly profound thought, that many others have made similar observations, but as I have studied the concept of 'journey' as our faith community transitions into its next season, I began to wonder just how much energy we expend in achieving our goals or working our 'plan.' I wonder how much we miss by not appreciating the presence and activity of God in the journey.

Please don't think that I'm suggesting that goals and plans are bad. On the contrary, I think we need to have goals, I think that having a plan is important. I have goals for my life, I have a plan I'm working to achieve. But 'the father of the faithful' didn't know where he was going and although Paul's plan was to extend the kingdom of God into Spain, God's purpose was that he write the remarkable theological exposition we know as the book of Romans.

Somewhere between our plans and God's purpose is that precious and transitory moment we call TODAY. 

Because we are finite beings and experience life as a seemingly linear process from 'the cradle to the grave' we often make the mistake of assuming God is limited to the same time frame that we are - but he's not! God is an eternal being who is connected to time but does not exist in time. To us life has a beginning and an end, but to God our life is simply NOW. That means that he already knows and has engaged with us in the entirety of our lives and because of that the goals and intentions of our limited perspective are ultimately submitted to his eternal purpose.

That is an incredibly liberating and transformative thought. It means that even though Abram didn't know where he was being led, all he had to do was remain faithful each step of the way and trust that God knew where he would end up. Abram didn't become Abraham because he journeyed to Canaan, but because he placed his faith in God along the way.

Paul didn't achieve everything he set out to achieve. And yet he could write, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

But Paul, what about Spain? What about the churches you haven't been able to plant? What about the cities you haven't visited yet? Don't you have any more letters to write? How can you have finished the race with so much left undone?

I think Paul knew that although he had plans, God had a different purpose for each day of his life. Paul knew the secret of Galatians 2:20 remember, that each day he lived was an expression of the presence of the risen Christ and his kingdom. 

Abraham and Paul are examples of the wonderful reality that whatever tomorrow looks like and whatever I am able to accomplish, TODAY is an opportunity for me to live into the kingdom reality of Matthew 5 - to be humble and emotionally honest and teachable and proactive and forgiving and pure of heart and a peacemaker and courageous; TODAY develops the character of Christ within me - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

So, do you know where you are going? Be careful how you answer. You see, whether we have a plan or not, whether we can verbalise our goals or not, and whether we arrive where we think or achieve what we determine, God's activity is in the journey which is simply made up of lots of TODAYs.

In praise of pastors...

Over the last couple of months two pastors who have played a role in my life passed away. Ps Joe Griffiths was my first pastor when I first came to faith in Armadale AOG in 1975 and was the pastor of our church until late 1980 (I know, pre-history for some of you!) Ps Aeron Morgan was my Bible College Principal for two years, and, in fact, served as the Principal of the college on two separate occasions in the 70s and the 90s. Both were godly men, both could be a little intimidating, both exhibited great integrity and faithfulness, and both were pastors.

You see, in a time when we seek to develop leadership skills amongst those who feel their vocation is the of the 'ministry,' it seems to me that the value of a pastoral calling is neglected. I am thankful for the attention paid to leadership, but the New Testament only mentions leader to identify the leader of a synagogue in the gospel narratives, and the call or gift to lead is only noted in Romans 12 along with generosity, serving and encouragement. I'm not trying to diminish the need for solid leadership - goodness knows I need to strengthen that area of my calling - but I am suggesting we are missing the more necessary call to pastor.

The word pastor is only mentioned once in the New Testament, in Ephesians 4:11, however the concept of being a shepherd (or of caring for the sheep/people of God) is a major New Testament theme. Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd in John 10; in Hebrews he is called the Great Shepherd (the only Great Leader seems to reside in North Korea); 1 Peter 2 refers to Jesus as the 'Shepherd and Overseer of our souls', and in chapter 5 as the Chief Shepherd; and in Revelation 7 the Lamb (Jesus) is the one who will shepherd the martyred believers. Certainly a shepherd must lead, but a shepherd is one who leads by virtue of close relationship with the sheep (implied in Jn. 10:4-5 since the sheep know his voice) and 'lays down his life' for the sheep.

There were differences as well as similarities between Ps Griffiths and Ps Morgan, and they had different relationships with me, but one thing is true of both men as pastors, they loved the people God had called them to care for. As a boy I was a little scared of Ps Griffiths. He was a big man, an ex-sergeant major in the British army with the voice and personal aura of authority that position implies. Yet he and his wife would call in to take my Mum - who didn't drive - shopping each week and assist whenever and wherever they could. He was compassionate and his eyes could carry a softness and warmth that would make anyone feel welcome and important.

Ps Morgan was the same as a Principal and, from what I have been told, as a local church pastor as well. For both of these men people were important as individuals who were loved by a God who gave all to redeem them.

Often leaders, preachers and teachers are remembered because of their level of influence, their writing or the recording of their talks. Not so much pastors. To be a pastor is a humble vocation where prayer, encouragement, shared sorrow and joy, and a deep care for those God connects you with is remembered only by those who journey with you. Pastors aren't always up-front leaders, on a platform, or recognised as such. Often they are people in any congregation or group who give care and support to those around them. Without these people our churches, our communities, our social groups and our world would be a far more damaged, hurting and fragmented place.

For some reason pastor has become more of a title than a vocation. If anyone has known me for any length of time you will be acquainted with my attitude to titles. As another of the pastors in my life would say, "My name's John and I'm a pastor. It's my calling not my title. I don't refer to Plumber Fred or Brickie Bill; so I'm John the pastor, not Pastor John." It's one of my quirks, and I am smart enough to understand how titles can be helpful even if I don't feel they are necessary, and certainly prefer to be just Jeremy to anyone in my church or classroom.

One of the really sad aspects of the contemporary age is a comment I read recently where someone noted it was easier to get an appointment with their local Federal Member of Parliament than it was with the pastor of their church. There are reasons, valid ones at times, for such a situation, but there is one observation to make - a pastor knows his followers and connects with them. A leader can lead by setting a direction and encouraging, cajoling and compelling his followers to join him; a pastor walks with his followers and lovingly and carefully (and sometimes sternly) leads them by giving his life to them and the journey they travel together.

Whatever you think of my observations and comments can I ask you to consider two questions? Who are the pastors in your life? They don't have to be in a church or have a title, but they are the people you trust for help, support and wise counsel. And, how can you thank, honour, and give some appreciation to them?

I remember Ps Griffiths and Ps Morgan. I honour them for the lives they gave to the people they felt called to because they loved Jesus. They taught me that loving God means loving his people as well, even when it is difficult and inconvenient and costly. They taught me that people are valuable because they are loved and valued by God.

And isn't that the Christian message?

To nuke, or not to nuke....

As Kim Jong-un ponders the above question the world waits with baited breath to see what his answer will be, but it also highlights the fact that there are always big questions and big problems that creates stress and concern. If it isn't North Korea it's terrorism, or pandemics, or global financial crises, or global warming, or something else that fires the news reports and creates worry in people's lives.

This is in stark contrast to the overwhelming truth that God isn't worried or stressed!

I don't believe this means that followers of Jesus should be blase or remain uninvolved in these issues. As a part of the mandate to be faithful witnesses to the presence of God's kingdom in the world it is important that we are in the dark places and times to offer love, comfort, grace, and be active in prayer and practical works that demonstrate God's heart for people and for justice. I do believe it means that as Christians we are to be the source of hope and confidence that no matter how desperate the events of the world stage appear, God is ultimately in control and working his plan for the redemption of his creation.

The psalmist reminds us that God is intimately aware and involved in every aspect of our lives (Ps. 139); Jesus points out that his concern for us in greater than we often suspect (Matt. 6:26-24); and whatever the dating of John's Revelation he is encouraging Christians under persecution from either Nero or Domitian that the Lamb has won the victory over the powers and forces of chaos in the world and is, through his people, establishing the ongoing beauty of God's eschatological kingdom. John's message is, "Sure it's tough, sure it's dark, but the light of Christ is getting ever brighter!"

Often I read posts and articles from Christians that seem to have an undertone of panic that if we don't do something all is lost! There are calls to fast and pray and rebuke and bind and loose that imply that Calvary and the empty tomb weren't the decisive acts, the climax of history that have once and for all defeated sin, death and the devil and provided for the enthronement of Jesus as the world's true Lord and the inauguration and victory of his kingdom. And yes, we have a part to play in living into that truth; and yes, there are still forces and powers that resist the incursion of light and life and love; but the overwhelming story of the Bible is that the God who created all things is outworking his ultimate plan for the deliverance and transformation of his creation and that he did so through the death of his Son.

God isn't worried. At a time when Augustus Caesar was hailed as 'Son of God and Saviour', the little group known as Christian claimed that their dead Messiah was, in fact, Son of God and Saviour. At a time when every knee would bow and every tongue confess that Caesar was lord, Paul called on Christians to affirm the truth that everything in heaven and earth and under the earth - the entire cosmology of his day, including Imperial Rome - would bow the knee and confess instead that Jesus was Lord. For a tiny group with every hand against them this seemed a bizarre claim, but for God it was the resounding truth that brought order to chaos, light into darkness and freedom to captives. The witness of the followers of Jesus was a prophetic declaration to the reality Paul's words, "For in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him" (Col. 1:16).

Just because the authorities and governments of the world usurp their rightful Lord doesn't mean that God has lost control. I am forever stunned at Peter's inspired observation in his first sermon, "This Jesus, was handed over to you according to God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross" (Acts 2:23). In a later letter Peter reminds a church that despite the opposition they face, all authorities and powers have been subjected to Christ.

My father was born during WW1, my mother during the Great Depression. My Dad served in the Royal Navy in WW2, they were married at the time of the Korean War, and I have lived through a world that witnessed the social upheaval of the 60s, the Vietnam War, the 1970s oil crisis, the dot com boom and bust, the fall of Communist Russia, two Iraq wars, 9/11, the GFC, not to mention numerous other threats, famines, crises and epidemics. I carry worries and concerns and wonder what it all means for my kids and my grandkids.

But God isn't worried. He's ok. From before any of this began he has been working his purposes for a beautiful future where love and justice have been birthed through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul calls these sufferings birth pains (Rom. 8:22) which cannot begin to compare with what God is bringing through it all.

Those of us who follow Christ are not to worry but to live in a manner that builds towards the future explicit revelation of Christ's worldwide kingdom, "...because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Cor. 15:58)

I have a couple of Roman coins that are from a time when the future of the Christian church seemed limited and followers of Jesus faced the choice to die or recognise another lord who claimed to be the son of god. That empire is gone, that lord is dead, that threat is passed.  There will always be crises and reasons to wonder at what on earth is going on in the world. Always. But God doesn't worry, he isn't concerned, and he has called a people to continually serve as a reminder that the creator hasn't abandoned his creation but is at work through the chaos and darkness to one day make all things right.

I confess....I'm religious....

The faith tradition I grew up in, and the contemporary church at large, draws a false dichotomy between the experience of God in our lives and what we term 'religion.' We are fond of noting that we aren't religious, we have a personal relationship with Jesus. Religion is seen as the human attempt to win favour with God and earn the right to achieve 'salvation' and as such is understood to be the antithesis of the gospel of grace.

We are wrong.

Not that the gospel is grace, or that human efforts can ever be sufficient for God's approval. Humanity is distorted by the effects of sin and only through Christ can salvation be found and the image of God restored. Where we are wrong is our understanding of religion.

A common cliche when I was growing up was, "I'm not religious, I just love the Lord." But it seems that is exactly what being religious means! In fact, according to James, if our affirmation of loving God is correct, then it will be confirmed by 'religious' behaviour.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27) The way James uses the word 'religion' (Greek, threskeia) is to focus our attention on the heart of 'religious duty' and to contrast that which is false religion. James is indicating, as he does through most of his letter, that if our claim to be followers of God through Christ is valid, then the way we live our lives will reflect it!

The word 'religion' used here means, "religious worship, religious discipline, fear of (a) god, reverence for (a) god, devotion," all very positive aspects of our Christian walk and worship. I believe that what James is expressing in his letter that is important for us to be aware of in our lives is that the Christian worship of God through a life as a disciple of Jesus Christ is reflected in the way that this is practically embodied in our lifestyle.

This is a dangerous thought, James' line-in-the-sand declaration is a dangerous concept. If Christianity is reduced to a personal relationship with Jesus, then it can be an individual, private spirituality. But once the concept of religious devotion practically expressed in action is embraced, then individual must be expanded to involve others, private is replaced by public, and spirituality necessitates an others-oriented component.

The Bible never defines the worship of God as having a personal relationship with God. Yes, such an idea is implied by the teaching that God is our Father, that we are to love as we have been loved, that Christ is the head of the body and groom of the bride etc., but more often we will find commands to obey, a King and Lord to serve, a surrender of self to his will and purposes, and a counter-cultural lifestyle to embrace.

This isn't an either/or choice, but a both/and situation where a personal encounter and relationship with God inspires religious worship and practice. Because I have a loving relationship with my wife I act in the manner I do; and because I have a relationship with my Father in heaven I engage in religious practices.

Religion isn't the opposite of Christian faith, but the heart of it!

Why would I say that? Because Jesus said there were two key aspects to living as the people of God under the New Covenant that summed up everything in the Old Covenant, to love God and love others. One necessitates and births the other. If religion is the activity of practically expressing what I am devoted to, then I am religious because it is the intended purpose of God in my life.

Notice what James says is pure and faultless religion, '...to look after orphans and widows and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.' True, God honouring religion, the practices that please him and reflect his kingdom well, is to care for the oppressed, marginalised and needy; and to live in a way that embodies the values of his kingdom rather than those of our culture.

This verse follows immediately on from those that teach we should be doers of the Word of God, not just hearers; and that we should be careful of the words that we use. The verses immediately following teach about the wrong attitudes that give privilege and preference to the prosperous and wealthy in church rather than treating all people the same - no matter how much they give or how much they have. James is reminding us that in this difficult and corrupt world we need to be religious: that the way we act and live must line up with what we claim to worship and be devoted to.

So, despite all my claims to the contrary over the last thirty-seven and a half years, I discover that I am religious. Or rather, that I want to be. I want to live in a way that is true to the work God has done in me, that is obedient to the guidance of his Spirit and his Word, and that is in conformity with the example of the new humanity God has called us to, exemplified in Jesus.

What about you?

Just another day...

They say it's only a number, just another day like any other, but it's not - at least not to me. I've just celebrated (?) my 50th birthday, and to be honest, I'm not ready for it!

I would have thought that by the time I was fifty I would have a lot more things together, more figured out, with more wisdom and clarity. And I suppose to a degree I have. But seriously, in my head I'm still thirty and trying to make sense of this world.

In my ’zen’ moments I contemplate the reality that the older I get the less I know. They tell me that is wisdom, and maybe it is, but I really don't feel particularly wise. I know I've learned a heck of a lot over the course of my life, but I thought I would have far more clarity about life than I do. The truth is that despite all I have learned and all I have experienced I feel just as confused with the randomness of life as I ever have. 

I think that for so many, if not all of us, life doesn't work out like we expected it would. There are goals and dreams and hopes that I have had throughout my life that haven't eventuated and probably never will. I recently let go of my dream to open the batting for Australia, although despite my near-sightedness and lack of hand-eye-coordination the state of our national team suggests I may have to re-visit that particular dream (I'm still available Mickey Arthur...).

There are many ways in which my life hasn't panned out as expected. Now don't get me wrong - I'm happy. I am deeply in love with my wife, we have a wonderful marriage, I'm crazy about my kids, find fulfillment in my vocation (mostly!), and have a circle of friends that I appreciate and value. So yes, I'm happy, but my half-century has provided an occasion to reflect on the dreams that I held as a twenty and thirty year old and recognise that my life doesn't look like I thought it would....I don't look like I thought I would.

I'm still me!

Despite the fact that I told our church last week that I have changed for the better over the course of my life (and I have), in many ways I still suck, even though, by God's grace, I suck less every day. So in this reflective state I ask myself and God, “What happened? Why is it my plans and dreams didn't work out?”

There are many answers to this question, but I think the over-arching reality is found in Proverbs 16:9, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” The course of my life has been to serve and honour God as best I could, but the ways that has worked out has been determined by the steps by which God has led me.

I have had many dreams and goals, some of them I have accomplished, others I haven't, but throughout my life I can see the hand of God. There are times he has nudged me, times he has explicitly led me, times I have suffered the consequences of my decisions, and times he has miraculously and graciously intervened for my benefit. Although my plans may not have included all of the struggles and difficulties, the highs and the lows, the joy and contentment, the many events that have made up my fifty years (that still seems like such an mature number), God’s big story of my life has brought me to this place; a place where I am happy and hopefully have developed compassion and tolerance and integrity and resilience and faithfulness.

To be honest, the thought of my fiftieth birthday was one of those ’moments’ in life. I think it troubled me more than it should have. But here I am, on the other side, no longer reflecting on what might have been, but overwhelmed by what I have. 

Because God has established my steps. 

What is God like?

'Yellow Curtain,' Matisse

The question of what God is like is something that kids ask their parents, people ask pastors, we all ask ourselves. It's a question that is relevant whether we believe in God, a god, or are an atheist. Even atheists determine what the god is like that evidence is unable to prove.

So, what is God like?

I teach theology so you would think I could explain what God is like, but it's actually not that easy. The problem is that each one of us frames our experience/understanding of God through our own paradigms and personality. We explain God to be a loving God, or an angry God, or a Santa Claus God, or an uninterested God, or a mystical God, or a magical God, or an involved God, or any number of other ideas or concepts that we can imagine.

How, then, can we know God and what he is like?

The easy answer is that the Bible tells us, and that is true....but....I know Christians and teachers and theologians who find the God of the Bible to be a loving God, or an angry God, or a Santa Claus God, or an uninterested God, or a mystical God, or a magical God, or an involved God, or any number of other images that we can draw from the pages of the Bible. Even though God has, I believe, given us a revelation of himself in the scriptures they are still interpreted and understood through our own paradigms and personalities and culture and socio-historical context.

If the answer was as easy as taking the Bible literally in all it says, as some suggest, the problem becomes even greater. The difficulties and intellectual and moral gymnastics required to reconcile a literal interpretation of biblical truth outside of the historical context would seem to be at odds with the nature of the God we seek to know and the kind of people his followers are expected to be. I know, I've tried it.

And yet the Bible is God's revelation of who he is and what he is like. In it's pages we learn his story, his interaction with his creation, and the type of God he is. But how is it so many different people see so many different versions of what God is like?

A few years ago I took my wife to Sydney for a weekend to celebrate her birthday. While we were there we went to the Museum of Modern Art and saw the artistic creations of many talented painters and sculptors - or at least that is what I am given to believe. Although my artistic and creative wife could see the beauty and meaning behind many of the pieces, they just didn't make sense to me. They just seemed to be random colours and patterns without form or shape. Like some of the pictures we have in a box from when our kids were in pre-school.

Thousands disagree with me, because the appreciation of the art isn't based on whether it resembles something but on the use of colour and the response of the person viewing it. Different people can find different beauty and different meanings in the art without invalidating the art or the original intent of the artist.

Is the Bible like that?

Kind of, with a couple of boundaries. You see we can't just make God up to be whoever we want him to be. He is still a person and is still defined by definite characteristics and essential attributes, in the same way I may not understand a piece of abstract art, but I can tell you the colours that have been used in creating the painting. The Bible still teaches a framework within which we understand God - usually expressed within the context of a story - and although his interaction with his creation may change depending on the circumstances (which also tells us something about him and his accommodation to human experience and culture), there are ongoing attributes that are always apparent.

Ultimately there is also one man who stands out from all others in the story of the Bible. Ultimately there is the one man who said, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." Ultimately there is Jesus.

What is God like? Jesus.

In some ways this makes the question easier to answer, in other ways more difficult. It is true that what Jesus taught and how he lived and died and rose all have been understood in different ways, but I don't really think that is the difficulty. The difficulty is to actually live in a way that conforms to his example and his vision of the Kingdom of God.

Because the God revealed in Jesus is a God of love and mercy and forgiveness and justice and humility and sacrifice. He is a God who reaches out to those who don't think he cares and chastises those who use his name for their own benefit or the exploitation of others.

The God revealed in Jesus is a gracious God, an unexpected God, an inconvenient God, and an uncomfortable God.

God is like Jesus. This gives us the colours of the picture, the image, that we can use to understand the rest of the picture. It doesn't mean that learning to appreciate and respond to the picture is going to be easy or that we will all agree, but Jesus becomes the way in which we understand God the Father and the revelation of himself he has provided to us.

When we first entered the Museum of Modern Art I was astonished to see that some workmen had left their ladders and tools and tarps around when the museum was open for visitors. It seemed out of place with the sophisticated nature of the experience. Then my wife explained that the 'tools' were actually a piece of artwork, one of the displays.

What is God like? He's like Jesus, and I wonder how often in our lives, in our day-to-day existence, the 'artwork' of God is visible and just not appreciated by us.

God is like Jesus, but does that mean we see him any more clearly?

And nothing changed....

After months (a couple of years?) of campaigning and billions of dollars spent on the US Presidential election it would appear, according to the political commentators, that nothing has changed. Which got me thinking: I haven't posted anything on this blog, due to studies, for around two months, and my laxness doesn't seem to have adversely affected the world. Thankfully I'm secure enough to be content that I don't seem to be having any earth-shaking impact, but do we ever?

My wife made an insightful comment in church a few months ago. She noted that after over thirty years of being told that we are world changers, over-comers, champions etc. the statistics show the Christian church is actually less influential and less relevant than it was when we were teenagers. And that's ok. I think it is a healthy place to be in when we have a clear perspective of reality. Too often we kid ourselves about the influence we are having and over value our importance to both our world and the kingdom of God.

The truth is very few of us will ever change the world, very few of us will ever truly become well-known outside of our small corner of the Christian world. Honestly, that's how it should be. I'm convinced that the one person who has changed the world and who should be known already has and is - Jesus.

I'm not being super-spiritual or patronising, I'm just pointing out something that we seem to have forgotten - or at least marginalised - in our profile obsessed, brand oriented, marketing focused world. The only profile that matters is that of Jesus Christ, he is the one who stands at the centre of world history and whose story is good news for all of creation. 

That doesn't mean I'm insignificant or that my life doesn't matter, it just means that my significance is limited and that allows me to concentrate more on what really matters. I might never change the world, but I can change someone's world.

I can change who I am as a person, as a husband and a father. I can be a good friend and show compassion and love to the people I come into contact with. I can live a life that for the people I know seeks to reflect the grace, justice and love of the Lord I follow.

Humans spend much of their lives, particularly in the current age, aspiring to greater significance and recognition. The accessibility of social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs (!), etc. give us an outlet to express our search for significance and represent an unrealistic view of our importance. I'm not suggesting that these are bad or that we shouldn't have a desire or ambition to make a difference, simply that if we are able to keep these in perspective we have healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives.

I love my life and the people I get to share it with. Yes, there are things I would change, everyday isn't wonderful, tough times come and go. Jesus gave us the example of rather than seeking more meaning and significance for ourselves we are better off seeking it for other people. My faith teaches me that Jesus of Nazareth was the perfect human being, humanity as we were always intended to be, and that God's desire is that we are all changed, transformed, grown, matured to look like him. An important point in his message and example was that we should be to and for others in the same way we desire for them to be to and for us. 

Your name may never appear in the history books, the world at large may be unaware you are here, but if you seek to live for others they will know...and may do the same...and then, just maybe, the world will change...