Thursday, October 16, 2008

Life's Purpose

Lately, a friend asked me about my life purpose.

My reply to her came in several parts.

The first part was based on the roles I have been given in life.

The second was focused on the passions I felt in my heart.

The third was adapted from something I read from a book several years back:
"to live, learn, love and leave a legacy".

After some further thinking, and reflecting on my Christian beliefs, I came to the conclusion that my life purpose was simply to love - to love God and love the people He places in my life.

King Solomon, after his long meditation on life's meaning, as recorded in the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, concluded that the end of life was "to fear God and keep His commandments".

In the New Testament, Jesus interpreted "fearing God" as "worshipping God", and taught that the commandments of God could be summarised as "loving God and loving our neighbours as ourselves".

Therefore, King Solomon's conclusion regarding the purpose of life could be paraphrased as such:
"to worship God, and to love God and love the people God places in your life".

As a Christian, I believe that my life is not about me, but all about God. My Bible tells me that God is Love. Therefore, if my life is all about God, and God is Love, then, my life must be all about Love.

A Godless and loveless life would be a purposeless and meaningless life to me.

God/ Love gives meaning to my life. My life's purpose is to love.