Is life mainly about being happy?

When my children were young, when we rode together somewhere in our vehicles, I had a number of regular messages or sayings I would speak. Some of those regular conversations were just sort of nonsense, a kind of playing which showed that I was thinking of them and giving them attention. For example, one of those conversations went like this. “Are you ‘a mess?’ No, you’re an ‘A #1 mess-a-rino dino.’” Yup, nonsense.

But, one of my regular questions to my children was more intentional, where I intended to teach a faith lesson. That conversation sounded this way. “Is life about being happy?” I listened for the answer and then responded, “No, life is really about serving God.” I would also then try to teach that serving God is what truly gives peace and joy.

There are many Scripture verses which tell us that our lives are not to revolve around ourselves, but that God, our Creator and Lord, is the real center of our lives. Perhaps my favorite such verse and lesson from Scripture comes from Matthew 20. We are told that Jesus was with His disciples and they had an argument about who is the greatest. Here is how Jesus responded to them. 25 . . . “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28) Jesus’ plan is that His disciples, His followers, His children, live lives of service to others. We are not ordered by God to a life of serving. Instead, God Himself serves us as Jesus gave His life for us. Service to God and service of others then should flow naturally from people who know that Jesus died and rose for them. (See also, Mark 12:30, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 2 Corinthians 5:15, Colossians 3:17, 23, etc.)

I began thinking these thoughts as I had a conversation on Tuesday will fellow pastor, Pastor Craig Schultz. We were discussing how God’s church does ministry. Obviously, Christians and Christian congregations serve the Lord by loving and serving others. But, how do Christians learn to serve? One of the roles of the pastor, or shepherd, or teacher, is to equip God’s people for service. “11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-12) But, God doesn’t call pastors or shepherds to lead square pegs into round holes. Our Lord gifts each of us with talents and with abilities so that we can serve, for the good His Church, and for the good of others. “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7)

Getting back to the question I asked my children, if life is about living for God and serving the one who gave His life for us, then What are your gifts? How can you or how do serve? Where do you perhaps need to grow? Have you served a long time a do you need a break, or a Sabbath rest? How will you then return to service, so that your rest is not simply quitting on the one who served us and died for us?

July is the month when Americans celebrate Independence Day. We remember the words of the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Unfortunately, such pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness, can and often does turn into selfishness rather than service.

So, let’s say you and I are riding together in our vehicle and just talking, and I ask you, “Is life mainly about being happy?” How would you answer? And, if you know that life is really about serving the One who gave us life in Creation, and about serving the One who saved our life through the Sacrifice of His Son, how are YOU doing in serving Him, and serving others?” That is a question worth pondering.