c deborah kunzie | Great Blue Herons | Notice the heart?
The morning began with an early phone call from a very good friend. She was calling with the idea of possibly enlightening my day before it began. Our conversation was interesting as always and ended with us both extracting something positive from what the other said to help us continue on our journey.
We discovered during the course of talking how the very people we intend to help are usually the very ones that become irritated at us or misinterpret what our true intent was. This conversation fell right on the heels of a movie I watched last night with basically the same scenario. The movie is based on a true story, called Peaceful Warrior.
The Peaceful Warrior is based on Dan Millman’s best-selling autobiographical book and is a moving story about the power of the human spirit.
Dan Millman (played by Scott Melchowiz) is a talented, yet arrogant college gymnast who seems to have it all. He gets good grades, has disposable relationships and is trying out for the Olympics. But he still wakes up in cold sweats at night. His world is turned upside down after he meets a mysterious stranger he refers to as Socrates (Nick Nolte). Socrates seems to hold the power to tap into new worlds of strength and understanding and becomes Dan’s mentor who guides him through various avenues of his life. But because of his lack of understanding and control he gets mad and turns away from the hand that was trying to help him. He goes back to the same old attitude of “I can do it all myself” I don’t need you. As a result, he suffers from a serious injury, and with the help of Socrates and a mysterious young woman (Amy Smart), he grows to realize that strength of spirit is what leads a man to his true greatness.
He learns that he has to let go of the person he thought he was and start living in the moment by appreciating the journey and accepting his lack of control over the future.
More than any of this the most important thing I got from the movie was a statement Socrates made to the young person.
“There’s no greater purpose than service to others.”
Not that I haven’t heard this before, being a person that studies the Bible and it is clear in all cases of scripture that our most important purpose here on earth is to be of service to others. A person needs to study this and know what it means.
After discussing this with my friend I realize that everyone would benefit if they could understand this. Even the person on the receiving end of a persons compassion and grace. Accept the fact someone is trying to help you and with good intentions without analyzing the why. I understand their are those who have wrong motives, learn to listen to your heart and the truth will present itself.
I know of no other greater service than to help people, even when going through a hard time, reach to others and quickly your own problems will seem small.
The Scripture is clear on what is the most important things in life, found in I Corinthians 13.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
The charity that is spoken of here is nothing more than Love. Learning to Love and loving what you are doing to help someone is the greatest gift anyone could bring to you or that you can give to others. Regardless if they have taken your truth and twisted it around in their thinking to be something else. Know that your heart is in the right place and let God take care of the rest.