In a beautiful morning scene in the movie, a man spoke of enjoying beauty and celebrating life wherever he went. He then fired his shotgun into the air and related his joy in shooting birds from the sky.  “I’m a contradiction,” he confessed, pausing. “We all are.”

 

Indeed we all are contradictions. We believe in eating well but we behave as if food is our salvation, the salve to every wound. Or we believe that relationships matter most yet spend our time in isolation. We ask why doesn’t someone do something about a problem that bothers us while forgetting that we are someone.  We believe that it’s best to trust God, yet often act as if everything depends on us.

 

We’ll never get it perfect this side of heaven, but there is a difference between striving-yet-missing the mark and not aiming in the right direction in the first place.

 

We always behave in a way that is consistent with our real beliefs. But our stated or desired beliefs aren’t always affirmed by our heart. Do you know what you really believe and why? What we really believe to be true is revealed by our thoughts and actions. A quick examination of our daily agenda, our checkbooks, and our pressing ambitions (if we were honest enough to unveil them) would reveal what we really believe.

 

What is your target today, this week, this year?

 

Think about what you value most right now and what you think you’ll value most at the end of life. Aim for that. Live today focused on the target.