public:cb_mirror:success_or_significance_txt_blogposts_31146
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Success or Significance
To Inspire a Political and Spiritual Awakening
Certainly, you've noticed the decreasing number of people who join or attend organizations. Service providers are increasingly desperate for volunteers. Younger generations show little interest in these activities or social gatherings and clubs. At a recent county COS meeting, a school board member related the alarming lack of attendance at sporting events. Students, parents, and community members are no longer interested in supporting others and community/civic spirit. Instead, they turn to mindless entertainment – TV, electronic games, social media and influencers – which are all isolating and promote shallow values.  While reading The Daniel Code: Living Out Truth in a Culture That Is Losing Its Way by O. S. Hawkins, one passage struck me deeply. “This [middle-aged] generation has acquired more possessions, position, and power than any in history. It set its sights on achieving success, and for the most part, hit the bull's eye. But that success has done little to fill the emptiness of the human heart. Sadly, this successful generation also leads all others in such things as divorce, suicide, addictions, and loneliness.” I often return to the maxim: If not me, then who? If not now, then when? If not here, then where? How will all of the good work be done if we do not encourage people to volunteer for something that will make a difference? If we are not actively preserving our nation's principles of freedom and self-governance, then the result is withering atrophy. Hawkins uses the book of Daniel in the Bible to explore success, i.e., Nebuchadnezzar, versus significance. Servant Leadership calls this pinnacle of meaningfulness our Transcendent There. This is a goal that goes beyond ourselves to serve others – transcending what we can accomplish alone and surpassing our own limitations. A Transcendent There is not an event or activity but an “enduring purpose” which will then guide our thoughts, beliefs, values, and activities. The critical feature of a Transcendent There is that it provides hope. The lack of hope in our culture leads to dissatisfaction in life, in relationships, in politics, in careers, and so on. Finding significance in those activities changes one's entire perspective. Serving others in those activities brings true significance. Success implies an endpoint – something to be achieved. It is often seen as something an individual conquers alone (to then solely receive the accolades and awards). Significance never ends. Significance is humble, not looking for recognition but change in and for others.  I was deeply discouraged about the direction our country was headed – until I discovered the Convention of States. COS truly provides hope for making significant change in our government and our daily lives. Success for COS would mean a called convention in which valuable amendments are proposed. But the Transcendent There of COS is “to inspire a political and spiritual awakening in America.” This vision goes beyond success to significance, where meaning and purpose are realized, where people are led to go beyond to a deeper understanding of citizenship and faith, and where political and spiritual awakening create a drive beyond Constitutional amendments.  Find your significance in COS. Find your purpose in volunteer service for a cause greater than self. Find ways to use your interests and talents to support this Transcendent There. Volunteer opportunities abound in COS: praying for our nation and legislators, emailing and calling legislators, hosting regional meetings, working at an event table to gather petition signatures, posting information on social media, teaching children and adults about the Constitution, serving on local boards and commissions… Click this link to volunteer. Suzanne McPherson COS NC Mentor, Volunteer Activist, Content Writer |
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| Created: | 2025-09-10 19:25 GMT |
| Updated: | 2025-09-26 18:44 GMT |
| Published: | 2025-09-15 16:03 GMT |
| Converted: | 2025-11-11 12:06 GMT |
| Change Author: | Suzanne Mcpherson |
| Credit Author: | |
public/cb_mirror/success_or_significance_txt_blogposts_31146.txt · Last modified: 2025/11/11 12:06 by 127.0.0.1