The Journey

We have all heard that life is a journey.  It even comes out in commercials.  Nissan said, “life is a journey. Enjoy the ride.”  American Airlines had the opposite perspective: “We understand, it’s not about the journey; it’s about the destination.”  Another reacted with this line, “It’s not about the journey or the destination; it’s about what you do once you get there.”  Someone in the fashion industry said: “Life is not about journeys or destinations; it’s about how you look while you are traveling.”
Leonard Sweet writes: “The real meaning of life is not a journey question or an arrival question. It’s a relationship question. Life is a handicap event. We cannot get to our destination without the help of others….We need relationships, guides, and guards who can help us on our journeys and be with us when we reach our destinations. Here’s the real question: Will you be holding hands when you cross the finish line?”
Imagine a busload of tourists on their way to the Grand Canyon from the mid-west. On the long journey across the wheat fields of Kansas and through the spectacular mountains of Colorado the travelers inexplicably keep the shades down. Intent on the ultimate destination, they never bother to look outside. They spend their time arguing over such things as who has the best seat and who is taking too much time in the bathroom. The church can resemble such a bus. We must remember that the Bible has far more to say about how to live on the journey than about the ultimate destination.
I urge you to raise the shades in your life and look out the window on this journey to heaven. One of the ways you can do that is to connect with people and see the interesting and varied landscape of life through the eyes of others. God made us to need and benefit from other people. Let’s all enrich ourselves and the lives of those around us by investing our time in building relationships. 
                                         —Adapted from an article in the “Memorial Messenger

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