Finding Our Niche
Yesterday Rob and I spent the morning photographing the tide pools on Trinidad Beach in California. It was a very low tide so we were able to see and photograph a large variety of subjects. Since I do not live near a coast I always enjoy the opportunity to visit tide pools when I travel. It is a fascinating world all in itself.
I always marvel at the diversity of life forms found in tide pools. At one point yesterday I commented to Rob that no one has ever had a good enough imagination to dream up the things we were seeing. I find in the wonderful variety of flora and fauna a visible testimony to the Creator’s greatness.
As we photographed a large rock covered with barnacles and a mixture of seaweeds we discussed how everything God has created has its role or place. Everything He made has a purpose and fills its own niche. In doing so every created thing honors our heavenly Father.
I’m not so sure, however, you can always say that about humans. Because we have been given free will we can choose to do what we want to do instead of what God made us for. Unfortunately, many choose to do exactly that. When we fail to fill our niche we fail to be what God made us to be. We also fail to bring honor to God.
What was man made for? What is our purpose? These questions have been discussed and debated for centuries. I cannot give a complete answer but I am convinced that we are given a great clue when Jesus answered a man’s question as to what was the greatest commandment with the response, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Furthermore, he added, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
If we would focus more energy on fulfilling these two commandments I cannot help but believe that we would at the same time be fulfilling the primary purpose for which we were created. We have free will because love cannot be coerced. We must choose to love God, others, and ourselves. When we do this right we honor God just like the rest of Creation. When we do this right we find our niche.
–Chuck
(The images here were taken yesterday at Trinidad Beach in California.)
