living life well

Have you ever thought about what it means to live life well? I’m sure different people have different views. Some might think it has to do with how much wealth you attain. Some might think it has to do with what others think of you.

I was visiting with a family recently who had lost their husband and father. We were talking about his life and I asked, “Did he have any hobbies or involvement in any social service organizations?” His son replied, “No, he just helped people.” And then, one after another, family members began to tell stories of how this man had helped them or how they had seen him help some neighbor or friend in need.

As I was preparing for the funeral and getting my remarks in line, that phrase kept coming back to my mind: “No, he just helped people.” It had a simplicity and familiarity to it that I couldn’t get away from. And then it hit me – that’s what they said about Jesus. Peter was preaching to Cornelius and his family and friends about Jesus in Acts 10 when he said, “Surely you have heard about this Jesus who went about doing good and helping all who were oppressed.” He just helped people.

It got me thinking, “Who have I helped lately?” Actually, I was wondering about all the opportunities I had to help people that I missed because I was in too big a hurry to get somewhere or do something for myself.

As for me, I think it would be all right if when I get to the end of my life and people ask, “What did he do?” instead of people talking about a sermon I preached or a leadership initiative I launched, that someone would say, “He just helped people.”