In a Charlie Brown cartoon strip Lucy asks, "Why do you think we're put on earth, Charlie Brown?" Charlie replies, "To make others happy." Lucy says, "I don't think I'm making anyone very happy . . . Of course, nobody's making me very happy either." Then in the final panel, Lucy screams at the top of her lungs, "Hey, somebody's not doing his job!"
Have you ever wondered why we’re put on earth? Is it Lucy’s reason? Are others meant to serve us? Are we meant to always be happy?
No. God never promises consistent happiness... in fact, He tells us that we will struggle at times: John 16:33 “ Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows... “
So why are we here? To endure life? To simply get through our days?
Absolutely not. Life is much sweeter than that! Charlie Brown had it right... the reason we exist is for others. It’s why we breathe and it’s why we’ve been given the gifts that we have. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:7, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”
He further tells us in Galatians: “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Can you imagine a selfless world? People getting up in the morning just to remind those they do life with that they matter...
To bring hope to the hopeless...
To mend instead of rip...
To forgive the undeserving...
To provide for someone knowing they could never return the favor...
To make others happy...
Seem unfair? Why should we be the ones taking care of others? What if nobody takes care of us or makes us happy?
That’s not the mission or the goal. We aren’t here to always be happy with things... we’re here to be more like Jesus Christ. We’re here to bring Him glory. We’re here to share His good news. We’re here to praise Him in the good things and the bad. We’re here to represent Him to those that don’t know Him. We’re here to rescue those God puts in our path. We’re here to love Him without reservation... and we’re here to love those He created even when we don’t agree with them or feel like doing so.
And when we do these things... God (and He alone) will give us a joy that circumstance can’t take away and people’s opinions can’t tarnish. The secret to happiness isn’t so secret...
It all starts with a priority list that has God at the top... others next... and ourselves a distant but blessed third.
