Nelson Acosta - Humble Hero
I just googled "What is the purpose of life?", and the first seven or so results all pointed to....Guess Where? Riiiiight, the Purpose Driven Life! Its June, so we have now the Purpose Driven Graduate; and don't forget also the Purpose Driven Relationships, Pathways to Purpose, and the ever popular Purpose for Women. Phew.
PURPOSE, people! The whole concept feels sort of daunting to me. Should I be an astronaut, a judge, a famous surgeon, perhaps the President of some Really Large International Important Corporation; now THERE is purpose?! Jesus would be really happy with that. Recognition. Fame. The winning team!
Recently I read a story in the LA Times (registration may be required, but well worth it for the dignity found in this story) of Nelson Acosta. Nelson spends his free time working as an umpire in the desert heat of Southern California. He is not the President of anything, but he is one darn good umpire. People yell at him a lot. But he keeps at his job, for the fun of the game, and as a way to care for kids. This is something pure, something good. And it comes from a man who struggles to umpire while battling Stage 4 cancer.
Thoreau once said, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation". Can our work be of worth, even if we carry out our jobs in seeming obscurity? Can something seemingly little in our culture be actually of large significance in God's perspective? Read about Nelson Acosta and decide for yourself.
I think so.
1 comment:
Hi Steve,
I strongly believe in the sentiment of having a purpose, pursuing a purpose, measuring the results, and adjusting our methods to achieve our purpose when necessary. I know we all do way too many things that have no purpose and we also do way too many things that don’t achieve our purpose.
However, almost nothing makes me more angry than when I hear someone us the term “burger flipper” in a derogatory way. I tell my daughters, “its not what you do that is important to me; its who you are that I care most about.” I believe there is much more dignity in preparing a tasty burger than there is in preparing a frivolous lawsuit. The lawyer may have more worth to some, but the burger chef has more worth to me.
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