To what end? A question of enormous import, yet one that often goes unasked and, consequently, unanswered. It applies to all issues of life--from the mundane to the life-altering. Yet we seldom pause to ask it.
The question is an important one to ask, as the answer will serve as the rutter of one's life. To what end do I exist? Perhaps this is the most fundamental of all questions that we are faced with. Since we are concerned with truth, we are obligated to answer the question as follows: To love and serve the Lord. A failure to answer as such leads to devastating consequences, and any other answer serves only as a distraction.
To what end do I work? To what end do I urge the importance of education? To what end do I attend church? To what end do I urge participation in sports? To what end do I date/marry? The list literally goes on.
We should also pause to note that our answers to these and the many other questions must be in align with our principles, with truth. In other words, if in asking the question "to what end?" with respect to a particular course of action the answer is one that would contravene our ultimate end or would cause us to act contrary to what is right and true, then we ought not pursue such a path. We must always analyze whether our end is just and true. This is an exercise that we must make a conscious effort to complete. When we fail to even ask the question, it becomes increasingly difficult to even ascertain whether our end is right and true.
In our next post we will address the importance of a means analysis and, hopefully, the importance of connecting means and ends.
But for now, I ask you, to what end?
"The great end of life is not knowledge but action." -- Sir Francis Bacon.
Soli Deo Gloria.
4 comments:
To what end do we work?
Colossians 3:23-24: "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."
Is it acceptable, therefore, to love one's secular work?
I would hold that for the believer there is no such thing as secular work--there's just work. That is, there is no disconnect between secular work and work done for the kingdom of God, the two are one in the same. All fields that a believer toils in should be cultivated for the kingdom of God.
Now, if one's vocation takes him or her outside the traditional fields of ministry, then so be it. But he or she is still a servant of Christ regardless of one's vocation.
So, in answering your question, it is acceptable to love one's secular work because, in essence, such a person is laboring for Christ (or ought to be).
I believe this is consistent with the passages from Colossians that you quote. Of course, I am always open to persuasion and welcome any other comments.
Excellent point on what we often refer to as our "secular" work and the Colassians passage does indeed speak to this, in my view.
Having established that it is, at least when viewed through the lens of The Truth, appropriate to love our work, is it then appropriate or at least acceptable to love sports or hobbies, such as fishing?
I thought that was you when I posted my October 2 comment in response.
I believe that some of the most beloved of the disciples were fisherman. So, it would almost appear that there is a Biblical mandate to fish. Well, not quite, but it is most enjoyable.
Whoever you are, "anonymous", we should fish Chevelon before the fall escapes us.
And no, "unus veritas" is not the same as "vino veritas", although the two might overlap in some instances.....
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