Wake Up Call!

I was reading a rather interesting article about Google’s hiring practices. The article mentioned how in the past GPA’s and brainteaser questions seemed to be the more important path for selecting the right person for the job. Reality has set in over the years where GPA and crazy questions don’t seem to have any relevance for hiring the right person. I’m also at times fascinated with how different types of articles on LinkedIn will always highlight certain business gurus that seem to have the inside tract on everything. The challenge is that these gurus can soon fall from Business Heaven to the pits of Hell because of personal life failures.

I know that it is so easy to get caught up into thinking that being more productive, more efficient and effective is truly the correct target zone for life. I know most have seen through the myth that being busy is the key to success. It is so easy to think that down time or actually taking a nap is something that is evil and contrary to being effective. I listened to a close friend last night share how his life was turned around through the tragic death of his brother.

Sometimes it takes a tragic situation to turn a person’s perspective on life around. I have a close friend that has become an integral part of my life share at our Life Skill Group last night. He grew up in a great home with supportive parents and siblings. He had everything going for him yet he had your typical youth disconnect in college. He didn’t want to elaborate or glorify his youth indulgence but was honest about turning his back on God, family and friends.

I hadn’t realized that the death of his older brother who was finishing his PhD was instrumental in seeing his life turned around. I could tell as my friend shared his story that this part of his life puzzle was very important for him to get the real meaning about life. We joked around about how he met his wife and how he asked her out on their first date. (Nothing exciting about having pizza at the apartment.) The reality is that everyone’s life is put on hold when someone close to them is hurting.

I know that in my life the decade long battle with cancer for my mom has shaped my life. I know that I really didn’t believe that my mom would die and that she wouldn’t be around for the weddings of all of my kids and the birth of her great grandkids. This didn’t happen and her slow death impacted my dad’s life especially. The end result is that my dad has suffered because of his willingness to give his all for my mom. I understand more about my dad’s life, as I have become his special friend in his old age.

It is too easy to let high tech and all of the gadgets of today take priority over family and friendships. I just finished reading an article that talked about the reasons why too many college students are finding their first job not as easy to find as they thought it would be. This comes back to the immaturity of today’s youth, lack of experience with real life and the substituting of social media for real communication. I admit that it is so much easier to text someone back than to actually talk to them.

As we finished our group last night one of our adults, who is very involved, had to share her story about her son’s death with my friend. This was an eye opening life experience for her and her family. The hurt and pain lessen but are still present as you live your life out each day. Yes, God can give us hope and a sense of peace about anything but the reality of sin’s impact on daily life is a present reminder of our need to put God first to get a true-life perspective.

I met with a friend yesterday who works with a social services program through our state. He was excited about a program that his director had asked him to head. This program would actually ask real life people who are involved in under resourced communities to be the advisors of what actions should be taken and what programs should be birthed, curtailed or rethought. My quick response was whether the director was willing to come and personally connect with people who are experiencing life’s hardships firsthand?

I’m not wishing tragedy or hardship on anyone but just suggesting that we look beyond all of the hype of social media, the mega corporations and the latest high tech tools to see that life is made up of relationships that become key to our experiencing the purpose and meaning living!