Daniel 5:17 Then Daniel answered the king (Belshazzar), “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.
Like the different carriages in a train that are linked to the engine, our decisions, missions and visions must be linked to our purpose. The carriages with its cushion seats and facilities are of no use if they are not connected to the engine that takes it to the destination. Similarly all our decisions must be fastened to our purpose. Born in Macedonia to parents of Albanian-descent and settled in the luxury Ireland, Mother Teresa left the safety of the nunnery to pursue her purpose to serve the poor and needy in Calcutta. A series of focused decisions took Mother Teresa from a cosy home in Ireland to the dusty roads of Calcutta to fulfil her purpose. The place, people, power or position will not affect our decisions if they are aligned with our “purpose”.
Have you ever asked yourself this question – What is my purpose on earth? Is it to eat, sleep, reproduce and die? Even animals do that. If we live to make money, build a house and raise a family, we have still haven’t found our purpose. Daniel served as the chief administrator (Prime Minister) to four different powerful kings under three different empires. With the change of the government, the policies, priorities and philosophies of the kingdom changed but nothing could influence or affect Daniel as he was deeply embedded in his purpose. Have you aligned your goals with your purpose?
People who are purpose oriented are prospective, productive and prolific:
1. Place: The place we are in or people we are with, will not adversely affect or influence our decisions if our purpose becomes our passion. If we want to leave a legacy of an influential leader, we will not be swayed by silly decisions based on carnal desires that will tarnish our credibility – Credibility is Influence. Our decisions will keep us on tract to reach our goals and achieve our purpose. Our decisions will keep us from the wrong places and from the wrong people. For example a person who is passionately fighting to eliminate sex trafficking will not find himself enjoying in a strip club. The places we go to and the people we engage with must align with our purpose.
2. Power: Power, influence or pressure will not sabotage the purpose when purpose becomes our passion. The influential are always under pressure to choose between right and wrong. Our everyday decision to choose right over wrong will keep our influence productive. Many falter under the pressure of power. Manipulation or misuse of power will derail us from our purpose. Power should accelerate our purpose not deviate us from our purpose.
3. Policies: The policies of the government could be amended to suit their convenience and the crowd, but purpose must be rooted in the Word. Government could legalise prostitution, civil union or euthanasia but that doesn’t make it ethically or morally right. No government, no powerful king or their affluence could have an effect on Daniel. He was grounded on his purpose even at the point of a death sentence. A person filled with purpose will not be manoeuvred by government policies or political strategies.
Our decisions must be intertwined, interlinked and interconnected to our purpose.
Proverbs 22:29 Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to find my purpose, embrace my purpose and passionately pursue my purpose. May the people, place, power or policies never influence me to move away from the purpose for which you have created me and called me to. Amen
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