Part of the Larger Story
John F. Kennedy gave a famous speech at the time: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” Kennedy later visited NASA. The purpose of the visit was to see how the work towards the dream was progressing. Walking through the corridors of NASA, he saw a janitor at work. Kennedy went up to the janitor and kindly asked him what his duties entailed. The janitor answered spontaneously: “Well Mr. President, I’m helping put a man on the moon.”
Sometimes it can be easy to lose purpose in everyday work or life in general. We may feel that what we do has very little meaning. Psychologists talk about the merging of one’s self with the goal (goal fusion) as a way to achieve meaningfulness. It basically means the same as the statement of the NASA’s janitor to Kennedy. He saw himself doing something very meaningful. He didn’t just sweep the floors, but with his own work was part of a bigger puzzle, sending an astronaut to the moon.
In the Bible, the congregation is compared to the body of Christ (1. Cor. 12, Rom. 12), where each member has their own important task. What may seem trivial is actually quite significant. It is also said that “small streams grow into big streams.” We are all needed.
I hope that every reader of this Newsletter can experience their own life as valuable and meaningful. The Bible exhorts: “Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as you would do it for the Lord and not for people.” (Colossians 3:23).
Welcome to the Emmaus and have a blessed autumn! Pastor Timo
With blessings, Pastor Timo
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