One Thing I Do

We as people are often defined in terms of what we do. When you meet someone at a social gathering, the question, "so what do you do for a living" or "where do you work" often comes up quickly. Our identity or other people's perception of us is largely shaped by the answers to these questions, yet many of us probably haven't given much thought to having a well-defined personal life mission statement.

The apostle Paul didn't have this problem. As a Pharisee and a diligent Bible scholar, he had credentials that would impress anyone. But notice how his changed life from knowing Christ shaped his statement: But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).

In his personal life mission statement, Paul makes it clear that he isn't a jack-of-all-trades or someone looking to multitask. We see that he refuses to rest on his laurels or be bound by past mistakes. He acknowledges that moving forward is difficult and arduous. He recognizes that his goal requires perseverance and effort. He knows the prize of the upward call of God far surpasses anything else he could do in terms of eternal value and significance.

How we finish the statement: "This one thing I do..." says a lot about where God fits into our lives and whether or not we are great at the Great Commandment (Mark 12:30-31). So how would you finish that statement?