There are probably a lot of things that we would love to have said about us when all is said and done. One of those things for me is that I gave it everything. That even if I didn’t hit every goal or meet every expectation, that people would know that I couldn’t have given any more than I did.

If this is your first time checking out this blog, I’m taking 70 days to go through the 70 resolutions of Jonathan Edwards who was a phenomenal preacher in the 1700s. Edwards’ 6th resolution was…

Resolved, To live with all my might, while I do live.

I once had a friend and mentor say to me, “If you’re going to fall, fall hard.” While that may sound very romantic and idealistic, it’s much easier said than done. That’s something that goes along with the territory of living with all your might. If you live with all your might and you go all in trying to fulfill the calling on your life, you’re most likely going to succeed more than most people but you’re probably also going to fall harder than most people. It’s just a matter of momentum. The faster and longer you run, the more likely it is that you’ll win the race but if you trip, watch out.

This resolution from Edwards reminds me of a movie I saw a long time ago called Dead Poets Society. One of the themes of the movie was to “suck the marrow out of life.” The idea was that you only had today and to go after each moment with every fiber of your being. One of the challenges I have in living this way is that I don’t want to get hurt. Living with all your might means not always living safe. It means pushing your chips into the middle of the table and sometimes taking some big risks. When I’m just thinking in the moment, I generally rationalize myself out of living this way. “It’s just not the prudent move.” “I need to hedge my bets.” “I need a fallback plan.” “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” While sayings like these are not bad, they generally don’t make for great stories.

I’m sure that when each of us reflects on the movies and stories that have impacted us the most, they generally involve some hero or heroine that risks greatly and sometimes fails greatly. They find themselves up against seemingly insurmountable odds and they don’t back down. Rudy. Shawshank Redemption. Remember the Titans. Gladiator. Braveheart. Lord of the Rings. Perhaps the reason that you’re not living with all your might is because you don’t have a battle to fight. If you don’t have a battle to fight, then perhaps you don’t know what you’re for and what you’re against. If you don’t know that then it’s a great opportunity for prayer and reflection.

Living with all your might comes with a cost but I believe that Edwards was right and that’s how life is supposed to be lived.