The Power of Words

My daily insight from one of my favourite sites, Aish.com, needs to be shared and hopefully will give you insight and a new strength of purpose and determination.  One of the things written by the author of this article is very much in line with my own thinking or revelation about me and my life. That thought is simple and is simply true and it is that, I am still here, I am still alive, and therefore my purpose has yet to be accomplished.  When I make a statement like, “I am still here,” it is made keeping in mind the loss of loved ones – for instance my brother, just a year older than me passed away in 1996.  I think about him and his life…did he accomplish or should I say, was YHWH’s will and purpose for his life accomplished and therefore it was time to go home?  I don’t think it was and I say that with sadness in my heart because my brother’s lifestyle is what brought his life to a premature end.  My brother was gorgeous and in trying to explain just what a “hunk” he was what comes to mind is that not only the girls he dated were mad about him, but he had a charm that charmed their mothers and fathers as well.  His charisma was inexplicable and perhaps his living his life based upon that, living a life that was one big party…a seeming gift was his downfall.  I’ll never fully know, but this thing I do know, and that is there was a greater purpose for his life than was expressed in his shortened days upon earth.

That’s it; plain and simple for this one thing I do know (no I can’t analyze it to make you believe, I just believe) is that my Creator, YHWH, does nothing without purpose. Well His doing that I speak of is the creation of you and me; therefore simple conclusion, we all have purpose and until that day when His purpose has been accomplished in and through me, I will remain to be a human be-ing sojourning on earth.  Enjoy the article…and reckon each moment…and its purpose.

The Scripture basis for this article comes from Leviticus 16-20.

The Torah teaches us to value time. Every moment is precious. Every moment a person can do good, perfect his character, make the world a better place. The Almighty gives us a limited amount of time and it is up to us to make the most of it.

Akavya ben Mahalalel teaches us (Pirkei Avos, Ethics of Our Fathers, 3:1) to keep in mind during our daily activities “before Whom we will receive judgment and accounting.” Our actions are accountable. What is the difference between “judgment” and “accounting”? The Vilna Gaon explains that “judgment” is regarding what you actually did with your time – the good deeds or the misdeeds. “Accounting”, however, refers to the unfulfilled potential that each of us could have accomplished with our time, had we been careful with it and used it to our best advantage.

Many people speak of “killing time” – of doing something entertaining or amusing between important activities. Time being precious compels us to have something to accomplish or to learn, should we have free time. One can carry a small book or have a class or lecture podcast on his mp3 player (check out AishAudio.com).

Our sages teach us that if we truly want to make the most of our time in this world, we should do a daily accounting before we go to sleep. This is called a “Cheshbon HaNefesh” – perhaps best translated as a “Soul Reckoning.” How do you do it? Ask yourself 4 questions: (1) What is my purpose in life? (2) What did I do towards my purpose or away from my purpose? (3) What could I do better tomorrow? (4) What is more important to accomplish and live for? It is also an excellent idea to review your interactions with others to know if there is anyone to whom you should apologize or help.

Life is often tough. It can be very strengthening to focus on the fact that If you are still here, then the Almighty is giving you this time for a purpose and you have not yet completed your job in this world.

The following anonymous “refrigerator piece” can help one appreciate the value of time:

“Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!

“Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow.” You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today!”