Spirituality Column #732

November 24, 2020

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Simple as That

By Bob Walters

“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” – John 17:4, Jesus praying to God shortly before the crucifixion.

My ears reflexively perk up when I hear someone say they are going to explain the meaning of life.  Most often, I also wind up shaking my head.

Such was the case recently when a radio talk show caller lavished praise on the host for fulfilling “the meaning of life,” which the caller assuredly defined as “having a positive effect on others.”  That’s certainly a wonderful compliment.  It’s also pretty good as a life’s goal for a person and a healthy encouragement for the larger community.

“Having a positive effect on others.” Simple.  Active.  Unselfish.  Not bad.

And woefully short of the runway.  If one is going to philosophically “land the plane” describing the “meaning of life,” all conversation will remain “up in the air” until it is incontrovertibly understood that God is in fact not only the destination airport but the plane, the air, the people, the beginning, the end, the altitude, the weather …

God is the whole ball game.  And this is where I wound up shaking my head.

The well-spoken, intelligent-sounding caller described himself as an executive who had lost his job in March soon after Covid gripped the country.  Since then he had begun his own podcast, and just wanted to tell the radio talk show host, who by the way was Rush Limbaugh, how he had been inspired by him and prayed for him (Rush has cancer).  The caller/podcaster also mentioned he had once “studied to be a priest.”

“Priest.”  We assume that means “Roman Catholic,” but it could mean Orthodox or Episcopal which also ordain “priests.” Anyway, he now spoke of philosophy, not God.

The reason I bring this up is because human philosophy will never bring us to the truth of the meaning of life.  The Greeks couldn’t do it.  The Enlightenment couldn’t do it.  And you’ll notice what’s missing from this fellow’s particular definition of “life’s meaning” is any mention of God, who actually is the truth of the meaning of life.  I found that oversight curious for someone who studied, I’m still assuming, for the Christian clergy.

Simple is good, though.  And helping others / being a positive influence on others is good, too.  That much is correct.  Jesus told us to love others; but He also told us to love God.  God told us to love God.  Those are central messages of the Bible.

In the “priestly prayer” of John 17, quoted above, notice that the work of Jesus’s life among humanity was to glorify God.  Before God, Jesus prayed this for himself just prior to his arrest, trial, passion on the cross, death, burial, and resurrection. His perfect purpose was to reveal God’s love to the fallen world in the form of hope for all humanity, our adoption into God’s Kingdom, and this demonstration of unprecedented and ultimate humility, obedience, and service to the Glory of God.  That is a life’s purpose.

In a three part series I wrote in August 2018 (search my blog here, on the right side, click on 2018, then click August, columns #'s 613, 614, 615), I went into some detail about how I think there is too much self-directed, information-demanding, and un-trusting “Me” in the “Meaning of Life,” i.e., “Explain this so I can believe.”

I think the better question is, “What is life’s purpose?”  That expresses, “I trust you, God.  What do you want me to do?  Show me how to love you and love others.” 

Jesus is our model, and the answer is simple: Life’s purpose is to Glorify God.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) is thankful for the wonder of God’s simplicity.