Taking up My Cross

So perhaps "meaningfulness" is related to doing something "good" by societal standards?

Or perhaps a personal sense of meaningfulness is derived by doing something "good" by our own standard. Most people's sense of "good" will likely align with society's ... but for some it may not exactly. For example, there are some who feel it is a right and good thing to stand on a city street corner and profess the Gospel with veins popping and spittle flying. Most of society views that as a nuisance, as do I, but there's obviously some who feel compelled to do it.

But your point is a good one ... most people seek at some point to do something "good." Now, here's the question ... what percentage of people do so with the full intent of being relatively anonymous doing it? And what percentage set out to do so like the Pharisee praying at the temple? :-)

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There are some charitable things people do that I admire, but I know full well I don't have the strength or courage to do myself:

• Adopt a mentally retarded child
• Care for enfeebled elderly people who are not their kin
• Work in a hospice and help people with the act of dying
  

I admire people who do this ... and particularly those who do this without fanfare. I couldn't do it.

Which makes me thing ... what would I do that is "good?" I honestly don't know.

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To live this way is very hard though, just think of all the things you have to give up.

Which I think is the point. There's a strong theme running through the New Testament that in order to find your "true" self you have to let go of your existing self. "Taking up the cross" is a metaphor for killing the self-centered life that is natural to us and taking up the life that is not about us. I'm looking seriously at my cross ... but I've not taken it up.