Here I am, 60 years old, and what have I accomplished?

In the shower this morning (where most big thoughts and good ideas come to life), that question came to mind.  I proceeded to answer it, and the internal conversation went about like this:

Q.  Here I am, 60 years old, and what have I accomplished?

A.  Accomplished?  Um...  

     Well, I've raised two children to functional adulthood.  That's gotta count for something.

Q.  Yes, okay, that's good.  What else?

A.  Um...

     I've made a decent living, lived a pretty comfortable life, reached some career milestones that were beyond my expectations.

Q.  Oookaay...  What else?

A.   Then there's music and writing:  books and blogs and poetry and songs written (and published), royalties earned, live singing performances to critical acclaim and wild applause.  How's that?

Q.  Critical acclaim & wild applause, huh?

A.  Hey!   I'll grant that they were small-town audiences with fairly low expectations, but you have to admit that...

Q.  Yeah, yeah.  Prosecution will stipulate to that effect.  Next?

A.  Okay, how about the people I've influenced for good?  That's my personal mission statement, after all: to influence people and organizations for good - to leave them better than I found them.  I've done that.  Not every single time, but.. pretty consistently that's the feedback I get.

Q.  Now maybe we're hitting on something truly useful.

A.  Ahhh.. so that's it.  That's what's behind your question.  What do you mean by "accomplishment", anyway?  What if that's not really the right question?

Q.  And the right question would be...

A.  Hang on, not so fast.  I'm thinking.

     Okay, there's that parable of the wealthy farmer with his barns, right?  Luke 12:16-21, where Jesus tells this story:

“A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?' Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

So the point is, a person is not the sum of his/her accomplishments, any more than his/his self-worth consists in the abundance of possessions.  Right?  Whatever score people choose to keep in this life does not survive into the next life.

Q.  There's more to it than the negative, though, yes?  What's the positive side of that coin?

A.  Right, right!  It's Jeremiah 9:23-24.

"Thus says the Lord: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; 24 but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord."

To understand and know the Creator, the King of the Universe... that's a life accomplishment that really matters.  All the rest flows from that.

Q.  Very good.  Nice talking with you this morning.  Have a nice day.

A.  Sure.  Drop by anytime.  Not just in the shower...