What's your AIM?

I recently had the difficult task yet distinct honor of speaking at the funeral of a 17 year old young man who many would say died much too soon. As the various speakers stood to share of the many memories created with this young man I couldn't help but ponder the scene I had encountered in the parlor just days before.

While stories of his inquisitive spirit, his daring antics, and his passionate pursuits all rang throughout the chapel I continued to set my gaze on the orange plastic coated archery target placed on a table alongside the many photo frames that recollected so many of the memories created in such a short span of time.

What did that archery target resemble? Why did it re-direct my attention and thoughts as to what I could say? What kind of picture could it be used to portray of this young man's life? What pondering thought could it produce for the rest of us gathered in the chapel that day?

With every hole punctured deep within that orange plastic covered piece of foam was an attempt to take AIM. This kid had placed an arrow on the string, pulled back the bow, and released that arrow toward a particular mark. And this action really personifies both his life and all of our lives.

All of us, including him, find ourselves taking AIM at various marks in life. For some, it's taking AIM at being smart, cute, athletic. For others, it's entering into a relationship, choosing a career, or planning for financial success.

You see, every one of the those attempts to hit the bull's eye on that target was an attempt to hit the mark. And in life, there is a bull's eye that we all find ourselves seeking to AIM. For many of us, we are hitting all around the bull's eye by living a good moral life, helping people in need, donating money to great causes. The problem is that our sights are not set to AIM at the right target.

Psalm 121:1 says, "I lift my eyes up to the mountains, from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord." The target for which we should take AIM is none other than Jesus Christ. He draws us to Himself, He helps us set our sights on Him, and He provides the means for hitting the target--true obedience--in the midst of all the distractions in this world.

What is your target? Where are your sights set? What is your AIM?