Doing what you were meant to do

Last night I was walking to the mailbox when I saw a strange sight.  In my neighbor's driveway was a possum laying down.  And he didn't move as I walked by.  Instead he just watched me with sad eyes.

I was surprised and concerned so I paused and watched him for a bit.  Finally he struggled to his feet and limped across the driveway and into the bushes pulling his injured leg(s) with him.

Now I do not have a fondness for possums.  I generally find them dirty and unappealing.  But I felt sad for this possum.

Why is it that as humans we can have sympathy for creatures that we don't really even like when we see them hurting or unable to function as they normally do in nature?

The movie Hugo explores the idea of people and things having a purpose.  And the sadness that can accompany the sight of something not able or willing to do what it was meant to do.

Which leads me to the question, what am I meant to do?   And am I doing it?

In Acts 1:8 Jesus gives what can be called the Great Commission.  "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

What does it mean to be witnesses for God?  We are not all called to be preachers.  We do not all have extroverted 'evangelistic' personalities.  But yet, every Christian is called to be a witness.

May we each continue to learn what that means in our individual lives.  May we know when to speak and when to be silent.  And how to live in such a way that our lives point to Jesus as our Hope, Redeemer, and Friend.