The Purpose of Having A God...

...is the same purpose as having a boss - to cover you when the waters get choppy.

A God is there to not exactly to Lord over you, but there to guide and grow you. Even forgive you when you've messed up and there's nobody to ask forgiveness from. He's there to love you into wholeness and softness again, especially for those who have grown up rough and tough. Like me.

I can't speak for all religions, but it's true for our Jesus, at least. It's having a Someone More Able above you, who's able to pick up the pieces if you were to make wrong decisions when you didn't know better. I know He's picked my pieces, dusted me off and set me back on my feet, like a toy chicken that's fallen over.

He tells me when things are happening (it's uncanny, but this is another story for another time), and even to not seek vengeance when poop happens. And poop does happen in life, and I got hurt, like how people do get hurt, and got angry, like people get angry after getting hurt. Except vengeance is His*, thank heavens.

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...I don't know about you, but I used to be a fighter.

"Clinch and bite!"

I fought tooth and nail, I would shoot you every step of the way till there are enough holes to sink your boat, and I'll shoot you some more. I used to win a lot of the time because of my grasp of the language (I was part of the debating team in school). I preferred that my enemies feared me - I didn't care for respect when I had fear, because that was what I knew. That's what my own father knew.

And I kept fighting because... well, because I could and because I was so good at winning. The downside was that I had few friends. Which was alright then because well, a few friends was all I needed.

Now, I still only need a few friends, but I no longer prized fear over respect, because I know now I don't have to win. I can still win if I wanted to, or at least give you a darn good fight or cause a pretty ripple in the system - but fact is - since when does fighting win you friends? It alienates them, when you prove them wrong just for the sake of proving your self-perceived superiority, all you would have won is self-earned assholery.

I know you know the world doesn't work like a nicely orchestrated musical box: it's a big bad world out there, full of sharks. But don't you see, there will always be sharks, even in the smaller pools - and I don't want to be one. They're ugly.

Maybe you're like me, not wanting nor liking to fight, but doing so because you have to.

Except you don't. Not entirely, at least. The world is a mobile place, and having a God like Jesus... well, it makes everything easier. He keeps me out of situations I'm not ready for, and grows and moulds me where I am (read: Holy tough love). Even the hard times are easier when I worship Him with song, and talk to Him about my issues and my pains.

That is the reason why I get people telling me, hey, you're always so positive. To which I'd smile and say, yeah. I'm not, really, but having a Friend who listens to your troubles, teaches you what to do, and actually makes things happen - it's like having a CEO for a best pal when you're the mail boy.

So... what is the purpose of having a God?

"Get to the point, cowboy."

To tell you what on earth you're here for, of course. You don't think "making do" is the sole purpose of your life, do you? :)

FYI, "mail boy" is not the only role there is in The Company that is the world.

Being a mail boy gives you humility, helps you see how some people are, how some things work. In the company there's the Executive. The Salesperson. The Manager. The Finance Person. There's the HR Manager. The Marketing Chap. The Janitor: similar role to the Manager and the CEO - both clean up poop, just on different levels - so many levels, so many roles.

No, you're not just a "mail boy", and there's more to life than just "making do". There is progression.

...the bible tells us that we're meant to be lights to the world, and we're to be on pedestals to illuminate. The darker it is, the scarier it is to shine, but the brighter the light shines through us.

Thus. The purpose of having a God, is to know what on earth you're here for. Then doing it.

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*Saith the bible (Romans 12:19, Deutronomy 32-35 and 1 Samuel 26:11).