My aunt has lent me a wonderful book, The Good Life, by Chuck Colson. I am only about 7 chapters in but I am really loving it. Colson tries his hand at answering questions such as: Why are we here? What is our purpose for living? What IS the 'good life' that everyone seems to want? Is it fame and fortune? Success and leisure? So many questions that really got me thinking. I mean, I know it's not about getting money and gaining renown, but it's hard to live in America, or the world for that matter, and not attribute a good deal of importance to these things.
I thought I knew what my purpose was. I am perfectly capable of touting the popular line "my purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever". Yes. But what does that mean? What does it look like to live the good life? I desperately wish to know and I am anxious to have Colson show me some insights into the matter.
This is what I've gathered so far. Towards the beginning of the book, Colson talks about how we can't find the good life until we acknowledge that we ourselves are not good. Huh? What does that have to do with anything? It's not me I want to look at but the good things out there that I want for myself. That's what "finding the good life" is about, right? Still, Colson says "We have to understand the evil in ourselves before we can truly embrace the good in life". He then gives several stories, his own those of others until you come face to face with your own heart and realize that you, too, are evil and that all humanity is naturally inclined to do bad things. Great. I am a selfish being that thinks only of myself. How can I hope to get out of a vicious cycle that circulates around myself?
Colson shows how people think they know what's best for them - money, a promotion, vacation, whatever, and how they feel pressured to gain those things by family and society in general. But Colson has this to offer: "Freedom lies not in conforming to the world's expectations or even realizing what we take to be our deepest wishes; it lies in following the call on our lives."
Profound. "It lies in following the call on our lives." It's not about acheiving the goals that we think will bring us happiness but rather following that which we are called to do. I don't know about anybody else, but to me this resounds truer than a thousand Chinese gongs. (No I've never heard that many at one time but sounds about right).
Excitedly I read on, wishing to discover this higher calling. Oh, I probably am being called as a missionary to Africa to start an orphanage and help solve the AIDS problem. Or, oh yeah, I know, I should do everything I can to one day run for public office and climb the ladders in politics. Spotlight on me please. Now.
Wait. No, it's not that.
Colson then says this. "Living a meaningful life consists simply in embracing the responsibilities and work given to us, whatever they are." So, working in food service for a year after getting a college degree? Yep. How about being a part-time secretary and helping my grandparents out at their home? Definitely. Here's me in a small voice "oh". But rather than getting bummed thinking life isn't going to be as glamorous as I've hoped, I start to see what he is getting at.
We were created in the image of God and we were created to work. Simply by putting our two hands to good use and being productive we are fulfilling our purpose. There is immense satisfaction in getting a job done well. The early Americans understood this and their incredible work ethic and appreciation for work in general built America up to what it is today. I have grown up in a time where the cool thing is too slack off, shirk duties and live for leisure and pleasure. I know I have absorbed this mentality and have seen it's slovenly results in my life. I can't deny that it's there. Still, I am fortunate to have also been taught the importance of work and being productive with my time. The greatest challenge for me is fighting the inertia that keeps wanting to take over. I could do this, or I could do that, but it's so much easier to just sit here and do nothing.
Colson said one of the hardest things about being in prison is the forced inactivity. The one thing he feared the most was not having anything to do. He grasped that our fundamental purpose is to work doing that which we are called to do. I hope to learn this lesson once and for all.
More on this later as I progress through the book.
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