Wisdom: What Is Your Purpose?
The Wisdom of Purpose
As Confucius said “Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters [of the world]?”
Why do you think we exist? Is there any purpose to life?
Knowing my purpose in life is important.
The experiences of my life tell me that I exist for a reason. Even though the things that happen to me often seem accidental or random, when I look back over my life, I can see a pattern. And, if the events of my life have a pattern, they are not accidental.
I believe there is a force behind that pattern that I cannot see. Like gravity, that force pulls me in a certain direction. I believe that direction is the purpose for my life. I often lose sight of my purpose, but like a compass needle, my purpose keeps pulling me back toward a certain direction. When my life is moving in the direction of my purpose, life seems better to me.
So, if wisdom is the “the application of knowledge needed to live a good life” and “the ability to differentiate between alternatives and choose the one that is best”, then knowing my purpose will help me make the decisions that are best for me.
Is knowing your purpose in life important to you? Does it make a difference in your life? How?
How does finding my purpose make a difference in my life?
For me, knowing the purpose in my life helps me make sense of the things that happen to me. Events in my life are no longer a matter of good or bad. Events in my life either serve my purpose or oppose my purpose. Knowing my purpose helps me “differentiate between alternatives and choose the one that is best.”
Knowing my purpose allows me to “proact” instead of react. What is “proact”? Some of you are reading the book “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”. The first habit is “Be Proactive”. Proact means that when something happens to us, we do not act until after we think. We use the time to think to choose the best alternative that serves our purpose. Then we act according to that best alternative. We know which alternative is best because we know our purpose.
Let me give you an example. As you are driving, a car pulls into your lane and hits you. There is a lot of damage to your car but you are not hurt. What do you do next? Our first reaction might be to (A) jump out of your car and yell at the other driver and tell him that you will sue him for damaging your car. Another reaction is (B) to jump out of your car and ask the driver if he is OK and can you help him.
If you chose A, what does purpose are you serving? If you chose B, what purpose are you serving?
Jesus told a story that gives us another problem to solve. Jesus told a story about a man who was traveling to another city. Along the way, the man was attacked, beaten and robbed. He was left along the road to die. A leader of the city came by and saw the injured man. The leader was late to a meeting and drove on by. A religious leader came by and saw the injured man. This leader was on his way to preach a sermon and felt that it was important to inspire his church members so he, also, drove on by. A foreigner from another country came by and saw the injured man. The foreigner stopped and helped the man. Then the foreigner took the man to a hospital and paid his hospital bill. Jesus asked “which of these three men was the injured man’s friend?”
Who do you think was the injured man’s friend. Why?
What do you think the city leader saw as his purpose? What about the religious leader? What about the foreigner?
How did each man’s sense of purpose affect his actions?
Knowing my purpose also helps me when I have a painful experience. If I suffer for a purpose, I am willing to accept the pain and even to be proud of it.
Mickie and Yanqing recently watched “The Founding of a Great Republic.” Who can tell the story of “Iron Man” Wang who is shown in the movie?
Perhaps another man accidentally fell into the cement mixer and moved his arms and legs around trying to get out. Did this man experience the same pain as Mr. Wang? How might the two men have looked at their pain differently?
My purpose also gives me faith and hope. When I suffer to achieve my purpose, I have hope that my suffering has done good. I may not see that good right away, but I believe that good for me or others will come from my actions.
You have all experienced this. As a student, your purpose was to learn and get high grades. How did knowing your purpose help you? I know that you suffered from studying long hours and giving up fun activities to study. But, you knew your purpose. You had faith that your hard work would be rewarded. You had hope for a better future.
Where do we find purpose?
How do you think people discover their purpose?
It is not easy to find our larger purpose in life. In the past, my purposes have included being a good son, being a good student, being a good father, and being a good worker. Each time, I thought that this was my purpose in life. But, my father is dead, I am no longer in school, my children have grown up and I have retired from my job. So what is left for me? Have I outlived my purpose?
I believe that I have found my purpose in the Bible verse that says “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” Ephesians 2:10. In other words, God created me to do good works that He has already planned for me. My job is to identify and do these good deeds. My purpose in life is to work for God—to become a worthy servant of Jesus Christ.
But, just because God planned these good deeds for me does not mean that I will chose to do them. I often walk past good deeds just like the religious and city leaders. That is why I am an unworthy servant. Are any of you “worthy” ping pong players? Do you ever make mistakes or lose games? What do you think about when you lose? Being unworthy just makes me want to try harder just like being an unworthy ping pong player makes you want to work harder. Because I am His servant, I believe that “it is God who works in [me] to will [want to act] and to act according to His good purpose.” Philippians 2:13. God is on my side! He will work inside of me to want to do the right thing and then help me proact.
Knowing my purpose helps me get through hard times and failures. I believe “that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:27 God never promised that following His purpose would be easy or that He would always protect me from harm. He did promise that He will make my efforts and my suffering produce good things now or later in life. This gives me courage to act like Iron Man Wang.
What is the benefit of being a Christian?
Many of you who attended Alpha asked “how do I benefit from becoming a Christian?” What are some of the answers you have received?
There are many wrong answers to this question. God will not love you any more than He does now. You will not always be happy. Bad things will still happen to you. You will still suffer.
The most honest answer that I can give you is that you will discover your purpose in life. You will have more courage to do what is right. Your suffering will have a purpose. You will slowly change from the inside to the outside. I believe this Bible verse truly describes how you will benefit: “the fruit of the Spirit is [results of following God’s purpose for me] love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” Galatians 5:22-23. Your life will be wiser and happier because you will have more of the things that satisfy.
I am telling you this now because I wish that I had known it much earlier in my life. I would have been a better son, student, father, worker and husband. I would have made better decisions. I hope that you can profit from my mistakes. I hope that you will discover your purpose early in life.
What is your purpose in life?
Worksheet
Why do you think we exist? Is there any purpose to life?
Know…
The Judgment
The Straight Skinny
