What is the purpose of life? I live in a country (United States) where we are guaranteed 3 things: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We have come to believe that this means we can do anything we want with our lives to achieve happiness, as long as it doesn't impinge on somebody else's happiness. It's a no harm, no foul culture, and if anybody disagrees, they are impinging on our liberty. Now what if I told you that none of those things really matter?
What is (physical) life? Is the worst thing that could happen to you death? Well if it is, I'm sorry because we are all going to die. We are all born to die. To die is gain. What will you die for?
What is liberty? In America, many people view loosing our freedoms as the end of the world. Surely I am blessed to live in a nation with so much freedom, but as soon as freedom becomes the central focus of your life, you are no longer free. More money means more freedom, however so often we see that money and the freedom it brings leaves nothing behind but a wake of destruction. (That's just one example.)
What is the pursuit of happiness? Is the greatest achievement in life happiness? What about those that spend their lives in suffering? Is their life somehow worth less than the one of many comforts? Why is it that almost anything can now be justified as long as the result, or at least the perceived result, is happiness? (Once again, this assumes it doesn't impinge on somebody else's happiness. This, however, is also a very grey subject today.)
You see many lives throughout history ended prematurely or were spent under immense suffering and imprisonment. It was many of those same lives that changed history. Did they live a good life, even though they lacked the three basic criteria we require for a "good" life? There is no greater example than Jesus Christ, the greatest man to ever live. His disciples followed behind Him in more ways than one.
Who lived the better life: the man (Paul) who was beaten and imprisoned repeatedly before eventually being killed, but helped found the Church OR the guy who worked for 10 years before winning the lottery and retiring in luxury before the age of 30? Why do all seemingly strive to be the lottery winner? Why has that become our standard?
"I have been crucified with Christ and no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." ~Galatians 2:20
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." ~Philippians 1:20-24
