Creating an ImpactSample

Live Out Your Purpose

The year was 2016 and I was sitting outside the surgical ICU at our local hospital, waiting on my daughter who was admitted and was very critical. Then, I heard the still small voice of God within my spirit saying: Life is short; Life is uncertain; Don’t waste another minute. Live out your purpose among those in the marketplace.

I was then the Chief Distribution Officer, an integral part of the executive committee of a Tata company, earning a handsome salary. Barring my daughter’s illness, life was certainly good. But the call of God was pressing and far more significant.

I heeded the call and set up a firm to work among employees. The idea was to provide inspiration and hope and to assist them to find purpose. We conduct corporate intervention programmes in the area of employee development and wellness. The format is workshops followed by one on one coaching and counselling. Over the last year, by the grace of God, we have interacted with hundreds of corporate executives.

This has provided us the opportunity to witness supposedly extremely successful and senior people breakdown in tears as they describe their life as a failure.

If I have to categorise people, they would fall under the following categories:

• SUCCESSFUL BUT SHALLOW: I thought the next promotion or a particular designation would satisfy, I worked so hard for it, but alas, it really hasn’t changed how I feel. Success of corporate growth is shallow and I feel cheated.

• SUCCESSFUL BUT BROKEN: In the pursuit of success, I’ve sacrificed so much and, most of all, my relationships. According to the world I’m successful, but I know the price I’ve paid for it. I have a fancy designation but a broken family.

• SUCCESSFUL BUT EMPTY: I am successful but far from satisfied. In fact, I’m so empty and don’t find any meaning in life that I sometimes feel suicidal or feel like running away.

Such people form a majority at the marketplace and they need help. So what is our response? Jesus beautifully answers this pertinent question in Matthew 5:13-16.

Dear Lord, please use me so I can truly be salt and light to people hurting out there in the marketplace. Amen