Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper (Psalm 37:3 NLT).
I love listening to music. Music is the backdrop to my life. I recently listened to Anthony Hamilton’s song; I Did It for Sho (sure). Meaning I did it on purpose. The song tells the story of a man’s former girlfriend wanting to return.
In summary, he tells her that she took him for granted and because he wanted to impress her, he maxed out his credit cards and stretched himself in ways that weren’t appreciated. He also explains that he is thankful he never married her, has since moved on, and has a new girlfriend. He continues to express how happy he is in his relationship, spending good times with her. I listened to the song and thought about my childhood. When my younger sister wanted to continue playing games, and I didn’t, I would invent ingenious ways to make her leave. When my mom would confront me, I took responsibility and explained, “I did it on purpose.” Later, I began thinking about being a Christian and living after God’s heart. I thought, what would happen if I started living my life on purpose to positively impact others without the bratty, defiant attitude of a child who pushes others away?
I began searching the scriptures to find and develop desirable actions and habits that would please God. I realized it’s not hard to know what we're supposed to do to follow God’s heart. Psalm 37:3 instructs us how to accomplish this feat. The first part of Psalm 37:3 gives us valuable instructions. It says, “Trust in the Lord and do good” (NLT). The first thing I must do is trust God. Next, I must do good. The second part of Psalm 37:3 is a promise. “Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.”
Purpose manifests itself in the things that we do daily. Two examples of this come to mind in my life. The first was when I began greeting my coworkers with a hearty welcome. I wanted to do something purposeful to bring joy and light into their lives while in my presence. My greeting has garnered a variety of responses. Some respond half-heartedly. But others stop, say hello, and chat for a few minutes. One coworker has gone from grunting to smiling and chuckling.
The second example of acting purposefully was using my resources to bless others. After purchasing my first car, I intentionally used it to transport my young godchildren and spend time with them. During our car rides, I played Christian music to honor God and consciously create a wholesome atmosphere. My godchildren are now young adults. One of them recently sent me a message thanking me for playing Christian music. They also mentioned how much they enjoyed the song Black, White, and Tan by Nicole C. Mullen. I never expected to hear this from any of my godchildren, and neither did I realize the impact of this simple gesture. Therefore, that purposeful honoring earned me the love and respect of a child I’d sown into.
You never know when someone will be blessed because you chose to act purposely in a positive way. In other words, choose to do good—on purpose. Imagine how many people would turn to Jesus if we began to live for Him, trust Him, then do good on purpose. We will see lives changed!
Prayer: Father God, help me to live purposely for others. Please open my eyes to the opportunities I have available to touch other people’s lives. Please show me how to live with purpose for the glory of your kingdom. Amen.
I Did it on Purpose: An Ode to God
Woke up this morning and thanked God
Prayed for my family and friends
I did it on purpose
Sat and read my Bible, got guidance for my day
Drove to work and prayed for the driver who cut me off
I did it on purpose
Greeted my coworkers with the biggest smile
Ended my day by thanking God
I did it on purpose
(By Vonyee Carrington/Inspired by Anthony Hamilton)