Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
-The Westminster Shorter Catechism
When I was younger, my parents tried to learn-me the catechism. I revolted violently because it sounded too Catholic and liturgical, but still managed to absorb a few passages including this one. Years later, in that post-college-chaos of “what am I supposed to be doing with my life?” it comes back to haunt me. “Glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever“… It’s easy to say – but harder to do. In fact, I get massively hung up on the theology. The quote is ridiculously selfish – for both parties. It’s basically saying that God set up a system for His own self-glorification. Given that Christians are supposed to be just like God, always putting others first, that seems counter-intuitive to His character and oxymoronic. Also, check out what we humans are supposed to get out of this; The enjoyment] of God forever? WTH? Again, totally selfish – appealing to our base inner motives and not cool! Yep. So much for this revered-yet-man-made catechism*.
But now we’ve created a knowledge-void. What is the meaning/purpose/chief end of man? What is the purpose of life? Your life… my life? I have inklings but I don’t really know. So I and a pal figured it was worth asking around, and doing a little research, and here are some of the answers we got:
Q: What is the meaning of life/ end of man/ purpose of existence?
A:
- “Getting drunk.” – Friend
- “I have no idea.” – Various
- “Whatever leads to dragons?” – The Ghost-Writer
- “Fresh-baked cookies.” – Friend/Mentor
- ”Enjoy the only life you get.” – Atheist Friend
- “Sex and chocolate.” – Sarcastic Friend
- “Everyone either has the choice to help others or to be selfish, and that choice determines the purpose of our lives.” – Friend
- (Poorly Paraphrased)
Friend’s Parent: “The chief end of man is to praise and glorify God”.
Me: Any tips on how to apply that practically?
Friend’s Parent: “Well,it just depends… You have to figure out where best to donate all the extra money you make…” - (Paraphrased)
“We should make a difference in the lives of those around us. We must point people to Jesus and live in ways that reveal and reflect Him as a result of our character and conduct. When we find our joy, value, significance, and worth in our relationship with Jesus, we will make much of Him in the most powerful way. You don’t have to figure out your whole future today. Make much of Jesus as you strive to do the next right thing and God will give that direction you seek.”
-Spiritual Leader - (Paraphrased)
“There is no perfect answer because the world is not perfect. Life will never be one big,glorious high, day after day. Even if you did what you love, there’d still be ups and down. The problem isn’t the world, it’s us. The meaning of life will change with the years and is found in the living of it. Chase your dreams. It’s not going to be easy, and you may fail, but go for it. There is no clearer answer, short of Christ. Life can be shitty, but we can’t blame life because it is what you make of it – you, not fate or God. Whatever you do, love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, and always be willing to do good to another without thought of recompense, and never forget that the world is screwed up and will always cause you frustration. Is that complicated enough?
– Mentor - (Paraphrased)
Older Friend: ”Lots of people make a certain goal(money, marriage, graduation) their life’s purpose. But when they get there, they find that the goal didn’t give them any special closure or fulfillment. So then what? Some religions advocate abandoning the outcome and the future, while others advocate planning for the good of others including your future self. Christianity imho, is the only worldview that does both – advocating making plans that matter, and yet, are not the by-all and end-all so that the moment can still be enjoyed. It’s not easy. Fulfilling meaning is found in the focus of energy, attention, and resources away from the self (either current or future) and towards others. This is how people are best designed to function and also because I believe other people are the only eternal things and thus the only things worth investing in.
Me: “Tl;dr: Don’t just live for tomorrow because when you get there it often isn’t quite as awesome as you expect?” And as you work on enjoying the moment (or aspects thereof) a good tip is to focus on others? And that there’s a balance between dreams and present?”
Older Friend: “The simple version: if you’re not happy and fulfilled and content and motivated now, nothing you plan/dream/hope/aspire will make you so.”
And Quotes from People I don’t Actually Know:
- “The artist lives to have stories to tell and to learn to tell them well.” ― Criss Jami
- “Human life is joyful interrogation. Any answer is blasphemy” -Ramon Pan
- “It was the ghost of rationality itself … This is the ghost of normal everyday assumptions which declares that the ultimate purpose of life, which is to keep alive, is impossible, but that this is the ultimate purpose of life anyway, so that great minds struggle to cure diseases so that people may live longer, but only madmen ask why. One lives longer in order that he may live longer. There is no other purpose.That is what the ghost says.” ― Robert M. Pirsig, Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values
- “There is a purpose in life–to raise men nearer to the likeness of God. Whoever seeks that ideal, daily, finds joy; and in no other way can true joy be found.” ― John Andreas Widtsoe, An Understandable Religion
(EN: Which is basically saying that joy is our chief purpose…) - “Too many people think that finding the reason God placed us here on earth will come in one assignment with a big title and complete job description. I believe that discovering our purpose will unfold slowly, like a seed planted deep in the ground.” ― LysaTerKeurst, Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl
- “What is the purpose of living if there are no perils to been countered and overcome?” ― David Almond, The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas
- “The un-lived life is not worth living.” – Tuck Everlasting
- “You have to be drunk. That’s all there is to it – it’s the only way. So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks your back and bends you to the earth, you have to be continually drunk. But on what? Wine, poetry, or virtue, as you wish. But be drunk.
– Charles Baudelaire - “Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos.” -Don Kardong
So that’s the list. I’m grateful to everyone to chimed in and listened and pondered with us… but I still don’t feel a cohesive answer. Honestly I see a lot of packaged theology running through these thoughts… and also the claims there is no answer, and we shouldn’t let the pondering of all this affect our lives too deeply. I’m inclined to agree with the latter… to think the meaning of life is tied up in a thousand emotions and colliding dominoes that are beyond our human ability too see and understand. And perhaps we’re safest wandering whimsically – not lost, but without a clear path as we chase dreams, and seek to love others, and be kind and understanding, and flexible within the rules we *have* been given. We don’t have many tools… except our brains and “common sense” and “love your neighbor”, but maybe those are our best clue to where we’re supposed to be going and the rest isn’t black and white or pass/fail.
Do you think?
West O'The Wind 