Have you ever given much thought to why things get done? In reflecting on that question, it seems to me that there are two types of people who get things done that stand out. First, there are people who do things because they are passionate about something. They have an area of interest that is so compelling to them that they will dream about it, study it, meditate on it, and work on it simply because they want to. Our island is blessed to have so many people like this who are passionate about heritage and history, the environment, and agriculture. We even have people who have turned their passion into businesses – artisans dedicated to perfecting their craft not for the primary purpose of making a profit, but to get better at something that they care deeply about and then share it with others. Thank goodness for those who are motivated by their passions.
Then there are those who do something simply because they see that something needs to be done. If a tree has fallen across the road, they cut it up and move it. If people need transportation around the island, they start up a business, buy the necessary vehicles, and start meeting that need. I was reminded recently that our fire department started up because one person realized that we needed an organized response to fires anywhere on the island, so he got to work. Our island is blessed to have so many people like this who have been willing to address the needs as they come across them, whether it was simply because it needed to be done or because it posed an opportunity for financial benefit. Either way, we have benefitted from their practicality, and we should also be thankful for those who are motivated by a desire to meet unmet needs.
As I think back on my time as a parent, it becomes quite obvious to me that I placed considerable emphasis with my daughters on finding their passion. I want them to pursue those things in life that they would do for free, simply because they loved what they were doing. What is less clear to me, however, is whether I placed enough emphasis on being practical. Did I make it clear enough to them that it is very difficult to pursue your passion when you don’t have enough money to pay rent? That sometimes you need to focus on what must be done, as opposed to what you want to do?
Passion without practicality can be like a fire with no more fuel, destined to burn out quickly. At the same time, practicality without passion can be like a train on a one-mile circular track, able to go on nearly forever without really ever going anywhere. The reality is that we need both in our own lives as individuals and also in our communities. It isn’t wrong to prioritize one motivation over the other, but it is wrong to discredit one while exalting the other. The first job that God gave man was the practical task of tending to the Garden, but he also gave man the ability to dream, and look how far we have come since then. Only when we allow those two to work together will we become all that we were made to be.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron