Objective

We all have a resume. Even if you haven't yet formally written one, you could write one, and for those of you that have you know that one of the most common elements toward the top of a resume is an "Objective." Sometimes the objective is spread throughout the body of the resume, but either way it is in there somewhere. This typically conveys to the reader what you are trying to accomplish; your goals for employment. Basic examples might be, "Obtain a position as an industrial engineer with XYZ company", or perhaps "To develop and grow customer sales."

It's interesting to me how we adapt those objectives depending on the position we are applying for, or even based on the company we are applying with. How would a prospective employer view the variety of objectives we are communicating to different hiring managers? Does that mean we are aggressive in our pursuit of our goals? Does it indicate doubt or a lack of conviction? Could it suggest we have questionable integrity? Are your objectives dependent on another person, group, or context?

God actually gave us His objective for our lives, and it's very simple. So why does it seem so hard to set a course toward the objective he gave to us? "Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" (Matt. 22:37). That's it. Simple, straight-forward., indisputable...scary? Not scary, in the jump out of your seat and run out of the theatre kind of scary, but the "I'm not sure I can do that" kind. Jesus repeats a simple, three letter word three times in that sentence, and that word takes our response to this command from "you've got it" to "really?"

"All" is scary. "All" means 100%. "All" means I can't hold anything back for myself, for my wife, for my children, for my friends, for my work, for my hobbies, for my...., for my..., for my... "All" means I'm jumping in with both feet and I don't know where I'll land. "All" means I might have to move. "All" means I might not live the life of my dreams. "All" means I might lose my job. "All" means people may not understand, might think I'm crazy; and I might not be as rich, and I might not be comfortable. "All" means I must let go of everything I know, everything I cherish, everything I desire...except God.

There are 66 books in the Bible. There are over 31,000 verses. There are more than 800,000 words in the Bible. And Jesus took the time to boil it down to one statement, one verse, 19 words, and one word with three letters. Is that the objective for your day today? Is it the objective for your work? Is it what you want to accomplish while you're at school, while you're talking to your friends, to your family, to a homeless person, to an orphaned child, to a widow.

"Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind" is the objective of His created children, equally for ALL of us.