They are to be responsible to you and are to perform all the duties of the tent, but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar. Otherwise both they and you will die. – Numbers 18:3

Today's Scripture Reading (December 12, 2021): Numbers 18

American Philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, argues that we all need to live our lives in a meaningful way. "The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well." Too often, we chase after things that don't really matter; prestige, power, prosperity, but, maybe mostly, happiness. And if we are honest, I don't think we ever achieve any of those things. Too often, we are a hamster on a wheel, chasing and chasing yet never arriving at our goal. But the real tragedy results when the chase takes us away from what is meaningful in life. And part of finding the meaningful path is understanding what it is for which we have been created. We need to find our purpose before we can know the way to a meaningful life.

But the problem is that happiness and prestige often deflect our intention, carrying us where we were never intended to go. And the result is not just detrimental for us; it is dangerous for everyone on the journey with us. When we miss our purpose, the whole community suffers.

There was a division of responsibility in the Tabernacle of the Israelites. The Levites had many duties that they would perform in the tabernacle, but they weren't priests. And only the priests were to work in the sanctuary and at the altar. The Levites were responsible to Aaron. He was the one who had to set the example and guide the Levites in their duties. He would have to remind them of their purpose and the importance of their mission. But he also needed to remind them of their limitations, and we all have limitations. And God reminded Aaron that failure on this point could be deadly, not only for the Levite but for Aaron and the whole community as well.

You are created for something. Your life should be filled with purpose and meaning. But too often, we still lose sight of that purpose to chase after happiness, prestige, power, and money. We stop making a difference because that is not what we are motivated to do. We begin to chase after things that don't really matter. We dedicate our lives to something that we think elevates us in the sights of those around us, but ultimately we don't make a difference. And it is not just us that suffers for that lack; the community suffers and potentially dies because of our failure.

I don't know about you, but I want more out of this life. I want to make a difference. I can only do that by understanding the purpose that God created me for and the purpose that God placed in those around me. Together, I know that we can make a difference if we are willing to chase meaning and not just what makes us happy. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Numbers 19