I was heading for a meeting in the early afternoon at a coffee shop. With its central location and easy access, it was more than convenient. As I ordered my coffee, I realised my order reflected my desire for something specific. My choice was not driven by size, number, or any quantity metric that I could imagine. It was personal.
As I enjoyed the cup and reflected, I began to see a continuum defined on one extreme as select and on the other as quantity. Did I want a lot of everything or the selected few? Was it generalised or specific? Did I decide or simply go with the flow? Is it about quantity or quality?
Although the reflection and metaphor as a continuum began to go crazy, I realised Life was calling me back to a simple observation. “God doesn’t count us; he calls us by name. Arithmetic is not his focus.” (Romans 9.28). When I choose something specifically, my intent is clear, my focus sharp, and my actions definitive. Life changes from the general to the specific.
Divinity sees me individually. In the larger story of the redemption of humanity, it is easy to lose sight of a simple truth. Divinity knows my name. Divinity understands my situation. Divinity is engaged in my life. When I embrace this, from an intellectual awareness to an experiential one, I experience life differently.
I can look at myself individually. I am not defined by my parents, although they were influential. I am not defined by my relationships, although they nurture and sustain me. I am defined by the name I give myself, the values I embrace within my heart and the story that I reveal.
Life is measured by why and how we live. I often drift into a quantity of life equally quality. Where outcomes define success. Today is a reminder that it is in living with compassion, acting with kindness, and caring in each moment, that life is lived with fullness. It is never just about one moment, yet each moment will tell my story.
