A few weeks ago, a young woman who “had everything” by the world’s standards was found dead in her apartment in London. I don’t want to talk ill of the dead, and I am not close enough to the situation to judge her; I merely want to use her life as a contrast to illustrate what seems so backward about the world.

We’ve seen this before; people who seem to be on top of the world throw it all away. I don’t even have to name names because I know your favorite tragic story came up in your mind. We see these people as having everything; we think to ourselves, “if I had their life, I would have enjoyed it or done great things with what they had been given.” I can’t help but think of all the things I would do with a celebrity’s money, fame, and notoriety. Of course I would have used what they were given for a greater purpose! These people, however, don’t put their fame and money to good use. Instead, we watch them self-destruct until they either reach rock bottom and get straight or we read of them in the newspaper as the next tale of tragedy.

 In the political realm, I heard one candidate raised 18 million dollars in one day. Think of all the families and children we could help with 18 million dollars, and yet it is going to support a campaign that could still fail!

We think it would be different if we were in the position of the rich and powerful. But would it really be different? I came across a quote from comedian Jim Carrey “I wish everyone could get rich and famous and everything they ever dreamed of, so they can see that’s not the answer”.

We live in an upside down world; those that have don’t seem happy, and those who lead a simple life seem the happiest. I sat in our Special Friends Sunday school class a few weeks ago with all the complications of my life on my shoulders. I was worried about our finances, how to get my kids to listen to me, all real and legitimate concerns. I was thinking about how we can reach out more effectively to families, or how we can get some of the projects we want to do funded.

But after some time spent playing with our friends, seeing them laugh and experience the simplest of joys, my spirits were lifted. Worry is what comes when we forget what is really important, including what is most important. Family, friends and faith make us whole.  We have to remember that, money is important but the more we get it seems, the less we get to live life.

Volunteering to help others has effected more positive change in my life than most anything else. Feeling like I have a calling on my life has been priceless. Nothing else I do comes close. It is when I forget that that my troubles start to weigh me down.

So I wish you a calling and a purpose, and pray that you can avoid all the traps of fame and fortune that come your way.