Tarnished, dusty, and forgotten in a closet. The engraving on the sterling silver bowl is barely legible, the only reminder of 25 years of service. Its recipient, Hazel, is long gone. She began her career during the Great Depression, as the sole teacher in a one-room school. For years, she faithfully graded students’ papers and wrote lesson plans every night. She touched hundreds of students’ lives, yet she kept searching for one MORE thing to fill the gaping hole in her life.
NEVER IDLE, BUT NEVER FULFILLED
Hazel entered speaking contests, acted in plays, sang solos in church, spent countless hours in her flower beds, paid scrupulous attention to her wardrobe, and meticulously cleaned her house. She was never idle, but never fulfilled. In fact, Hazel spent her life searching for more purpose, never stopping that search for the fulfillment she desired.
BLIND TO THE GIVER OF JOY
In her late fifties, her health began to deteriorate. She finally handed in her papers and received the silver bowl. Traveling, spending time in her flower beds, and singing gave her opportunities to discover joy. But her eyes were blind to the Giver of Joy. Her heart condition worsened, and her unhappiness grew. She longed for MORE. After all, her searching for more happiness persisted as she grew older.
SATURATED WITH PAIN
Finally, at age 65, she had her first grandchild, but even this extraordinary blessing could not fill her with joy. The pain from arthritis and years of emotional bitterness saturated both her body and soul. Vainly, she sought MORE from her accomplishments. In February 1981, she sat down on a Sunday morning after leading the opening songs for Sunday School. She was probably dead from the heart attack before she even hit the floor. Her voice was silenced before her 67th birthday. Still, in those years, she searched for more meaning, but it eluded her, leaving only pain behind.
ETERNITY PLACED ON OUR HEARTS
“Even Solomon—who possessed immense wealth, wisdom, pleasure, and success—concluded that pursuing life “under the sun” apart from God ultimately leads to emptiness (Ecclesiastes 1:2). The reason is that God has “put eternity into man’s heart,” creating a longing that nothing in this world can fully satisfy (Ecclesiastes 3:11)” (from CompellingTruth.org). Solomon and Hazel’s lives ended in emptiness. MORE, outside of God, brings a harvest of desolation. It’s clear humanity is always searching for more, driven by eternity placed on our hearts.
CREATED FOR ONE PURPOSE
“All who are called by my name, I created for my glory; I formed them, made them.” (Isaiah 43:7) We were created for one purpose. That’s it. No silver bowls can satisfy the longing God has instilled in us, to glorify Him for eternity. Searching for more fulfillment outside of this calling cannot bring joy.
THE REAL PATH TO MORE
Following in my mother Hazel’s footsteps, I spent years searching in vain for joy. In His grace, God rescued me from the maelstrom of searching for MORE outside of Him. Ecclesiastes 2:16 asks, “How is it that the wise person dies like the fool?” By not fully embracing the fact that we were created to bring Him glory. Want to find MORE, to discover real joy? Ask Jesus, the Creator of Joy, to be your Lord and Savior. That is the only path to MORE. So, ultimately, searching for more ends in Him alone.
