Purpose starts with understanding. We all want to lead purposeful lives. No one wants to lead a dull existence that lacks direction or significance. Without understanding who we are, it’s impossible to see fully our potential for what we could be.

You wouldn’t use a screwdriver as a spoon. While we understand that different tools and instruments have different uses, we don’t seem to apply this to people, especially not ourselves. The fact is, we are all created to fulfill a specific role. Those roles have much to do with the personalities and experiences we’ve been given. We are who we are to make that role easier, not harder to fulfill.

A body has many parts. For the world, the Church to function, it takes many people fulfilling different roles working together. Otherwise, critical tasks don’t get accomplished and the entire system breaks down. If everyone decided to be a doctor or a lawyer, we’d all starve and die because no one was there to grow food. Likewise, in the Church, people begin to suffer spiritually when there aren’t people to take care of the less glamorous roles (in our eyes).

Working in harmony. The beauty in this points toward the person of God. God is three working together like this in perfect, seamless harmony. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit each fills a different role without overlap, but there is nothing that falls between the gaps of division of labor. In this image, God created man to work together to this end.

We long for purpose in life, but first, we have to understand the nature and design of purpose. We were created meticulously to fulfill a purpose that no one else can. However, we cannot simply succeed on our own. We are but a part in the greater puzzle that is our society. Without one, the puzzle is not complete. Together, we form a beautiful picture of the Maker on display for all to see. Take the time today to probe what your purpose is. Ask expectantly and you won’t be disappointed, because purpose starts with understanding.