Many are asking: What can I do? How can I make a difference? According to Buchman, we all have a part to play in building a better world, whether it is at the local or global level – in what we do, and in the qualities we bring to what we do. Each of us as something to give to the world, and in giving our best, we find meaning and purpose – and we are surely all looking for a sense of meaning.
Related to this and growing out of his faith (he was a Lutheran minister), Buchman sought to express the idea that the God or the Creator has a plan for bringing people together – a plan for humanity if you like – to which we can all contribute, if we allow Him to be present in our lives. Faced with so much sadness and tragedy in the world, this may not be easy to see, but it is something to hold on to.
A sense of calling sometimes arises in response to a particular issue or situation. Buchman wanted to expand our range of vision, and to demonstrate how we are part of one interconnected world family, where all nations have something to offer. He thought it possible to construct a more collaborative world order. This painting below by Finnish artist, Lennart Segestråle – who was influenced by MRA – offers a visual image of how the different countries of the world could all bring their distinctive contributions.
Hope can grow from the idea that there is a purpose to our lives. But it is not an abstract thing that we can summon up intellectually. It develops out of our taking responsibility – a kind of ‘creative responsibility’. Hope and a sense of connection with others and the world around us grow through our taking responsibility for the world, as well as taking appropriate steps of change in our own lives. At a time of crisis, steps of change and responsibility can break the power of cynicism and despair. Hope comes not just from our thoughts, but from the way we live. New beginnings are possible.
