The Penthouse View

Imagine living on the top floor of a stunning penthouse overlooking the city with a horizon that stretches endlessly. On a beautiful day, you can see where the sky meets the earth. You sip your coffee, ponder life's meaning, plan worship sets, and brainstorm ways to inspire your team.

You may not live in a penthouse, but you live better than every human who lived before 1900. Even if you only have a tiny one-bedroom basement apartment. Think about that.

We often take for granted the luxuries of modern life. The other day, I was excited to finish some work but faced Wi-Fi issues. After calling support and resetting everything, I had to reconnect all our devices, which derailed my plans for the day.

This experience reminded me that much of what we consider normal relies on hidden operations. We assume Wi-Fi, electricity, and running water will always be available. These conveniences allow us to focus on higher pursuits, such as worship practice or creative endeavors.

In many parts of the world, people spend hours securing basic necessities like water and food. This lack of infrastructure limits their ability to ponder deeper questions or engage in self-actualization. Even so, they benefit from nearby resources like rivers, which environmental changes can disrupt.

This isn't about fear but appreciation for our position in life. Writing this newsletter on a computer requires countless unseen efforts, such as electricity generation and road construction.

If the guy who designed my laptop keyboard had to hunt for food instead of going to the grocery store, it's safe to say I would not have a laptop. Do you see how we are all interconnected and so reliant on these hidden operations?

Any disruption in these foundational elements would compromise my ability to communicate with you and hundreds of other worship leaders.

Let's recognize and be thankful for the foundational layers that support our lives. Ensuring these layers are strong allows us to reach higher levels of achievement and purpose.

Jesus understood this when he fed the multitude; he knew that meeting people's basic needs was essential for them to absorb his teachings.

When Trinty (indulge me) created the world, they laid a foundation before placing man upon it. This ensured that man had everything needed (sunlight, land, vegetation, animals, etc) to thrive and focus on higher creative tasks (naming those animals).

So, while we enjoy the view from the top floor of our lives, let's appreciate and strengthen the floors below us.

Enjoy the view from the top.

We get to do this.