You’re more important than you realize
People work to become the center of their own universe while missing out on becoming the center of the real universe
But if you look hard enough you will find a silver lining to almost anything. There are opportunities all around us. Unfortunately many of us do not see them.
It’s like the T-shirt that reads: “If you like me you had better tell me because I am too stupid to pick up on subtle hints.” There are hints all around us telling us the direction we should go in but frequently we just don’t seem to get them. Oftentimes things that seem negative are there to encourage us or even force us to change course.
Fundamental to this problem is a lack of self esteem. Most people do not realize how important they are in this world. They don’t appreciate how central their role is to the success of the entire enterprise that we call the universe. This results in mediocrity and the search for a job that will earn a good living rather than one that results in the completion of a G-d given mission.
Millions of people all over the world begrudgingly go to a job they hate each day in order to put food on the table. Now this is better than sitting at home all day in front of the television. But it would be a lot more fulfilling if they went to a job that they felt really meant something to both themselves and to the world around them.
Each person has something unique to offer
In fact each person can achieve that level of fulfillment. However a change of culture and attitude is needed. In the beginning of the book of Bamidbar (Numbers) we find G-d telling Moses to carry out a census of the Jewish people.
We count things that are precious to us. In fact there are things that we purchase by weight because their exact number is unimportant—the individual in irrelevant. Then there are things that are purchased individually. No one buys a pound of diamonds for example. The fact that G-d counted the people meant that each person was precious.
If your contribution was not of vital importance to the success of the universe you would not have been born. Each person has something unique to offer. The Talmud says that saving one life is like saving the entire universe. The implication is that since each individual’s contribution is critically important to the success of the entire enterprise if you save that person’s life you have saved the entire universe. As the Talmud points out the opposite is also true. Killing one person is like destroying the entire universe and for the same reason.
Once we are aware of the importance of our position in the grand scheme of things we will begin to perceive our role from an entirely different perspective. Unfortunately we were not born with little tags on our toes telling us what our life’s mission is. But as we go through life hints are thrown our way.
Missing out on true mission
Tragically the narcissistic world we live in causes us to ignore those hints in the pursuit of ever growing living standards and personal comforts and pleasures. One thing is certain: no one’s life mission is to have as much personal pleasure as possible. Yet this is what Western culture trains us to achieve.
Not surprisingly therefore people work to become the center of their own universe while missing out on becoming the center of the real universe. If you were laid off from your job or your business is failing maybe it’s a hint telling you that you need to reconsider your priorities and move in a direction that is more in line with what you were born to achieve.
As we get used to living life on less and materialism become less prevalent we may begin to experience clarity of purpose. This may be the opportunity to step back and tack stock. Then when you step forward again it will be in a way that allows you to truly contribute in a manner that only you can.
Rabbi Levi Brackman is author of Jewish Wisdom for Business Success: Lesson from the Torah and Other Ancient Texts
