A brief understanding of the meaning of life

God put me on Earth to accomplish a certain number of things and at the rate I am going, I will never die!

That bumper sticker slogan has been around for a while but it still cracks me up. It also makes me stop to think. (Sometimes I even remember to start again!) It’s very easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. Sometimes we get so busy and so overwhelmed that we forget why we are here.

That then begs an answer to the age-old question, why are we here? Why do we exist? What is our purpose in life? It doesn’t matter what philosophy, faith or creed you subscribe to, the fact remains that no one person knows exactly why mankind exists.

As a Christian I believe that we are created by God for his pleasure and purpose. Intellectuals will tell you we are the result of an evolutionary process begun with the big bang. There are numerous beliefs and theories as to how humans came to be.

While I still like to ponder that question, there are some things even more relevant to consider. I am here. I do exist. So what do I do now? What is my purpose? What will be my legacy long after I am gone?

I firmly believe that I am here to carry out God’s will for my life. If my purpose is to follow the Great Commission, I have done a very mediocre job of fulfilling my primary reason for existence. I’ve done it with mixed levels of success over the years.

On that note, let me say here and now that my door is always open to anyone wishing to know more about obtaining eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Switching gears, however, I’d like to look more in depth at our legacy and what we leave behind once we’ve left this life. In recent weeks I have spent a lot of time in cemeteries and museums. It reminds me that it is inherent in most all people to want to make a difference in this world and to leave a mark on history.

Most people will leave little more a headstone and maybe an obituary to show that they were here. Early in my career I used to take comfort in knowing that my name and works were preserved forever in newspaper archives across this nation (and in other countries thanks to The Associated Press).

As the biological father of three of my four children (I did a step-parent adoption of one), I know that, barring the unforeseen, my bloodline will continue on. Still, I wonder if that is enough? Have I made a real difference? Will I be remembered generations from now? Do I want to be remembered generations from now?

When I get to Heaven, will it matter that I wrote thousands of stories, hobnobbed with celebrities, photographed marvelous things, or done any of a number of things that would leave a lasting mark here on this planet? Or will it matter more how I cared for my family and people in need?

Famed pastor Rick Warren or Saddleback Church in California said the only thing we take with us from this life to the next is our character. It’s not so much what we do in this life, but why we do it that matters. If I do the most noble and selfless thing for personal gain, have I really gained anything?

Humans are by our very nature selfish beings. One of the beautiful things about Christianity is it teaches us to be in selfless service to others. Let me tell you, that is hard to do. It is counter intuitive and countercultural.

In the end, however, it is the only thing that will leave a meaningful impact here to the benefit of future generations and also follow you to the next life. That is a legacy worth living for.