Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give."
We at eMite say, "Right on, Mr. Churchill." Your life is more than the living you make. At least, it is intended to be. However, we get so enveloped in the making a living portion of the thing that we forget about the life part of it.
Think about your life as a trek up a mountain (just as an exercise 😉). You have an idea of what the summit will look like when you reach it, but you are starting at the base of the mountain. Now, you can hike that mountain alone, never engaging with anyone, asking for help, or providing support to others. It is just you and the mountain to be conquered. You hike and hike and hike and behold the summit! You sit on top of the mountain and enjoy the view - alone. Your hike has only involved you. The blood and sweat and probable tears are all only yours. You were neither a burden nor a help to anyone else. You made the summit, and you made it alone. You made a living of hiking that mountain, and your life would be summed up in that hike. You were a hiker - possibly even a great hiker.
Now let's say you decided to change up your perspective a little. You chose to share on your hike. You would engage others, walk with them and talk as you proceeded along the hike. You would still have your ideas on the view at the summit, but along the way, you desire to do more than simply hike up the mountain. You wanted to help others on their hike. You would hike, stop to help, share in a campfire, hike, mend an injury, provide needed equipment on another person's hike, and so on. What would be your experience at the summit? Would you be alone? Of course not! There would be hundreds, thousands, and possibly millions of others who were helped along your hike. You may have been a burden at times. You were definitely helpful at other times. Your living was also in the hiking, but your life would not be summed up in the hike. Your journey up the mountain impacted others' lives, and your impact was felt throughout the mountainside. You were a hiker - maybe not the greatest of hikers, but you were a tremendous help in a time of need. You were a companion when someone was lonely. You were a skillful fire builder for a family who needed warmth, and you were a timely nurse when an ankle sprained.
As givers, we make life more than simply making a living; making life more is a good thing.