"The ultimate achievement of life is how you feel about yourself."
I heard that statement on a radio show yesterday morning. I was in the car between errands, so I didn't hear too much more than this. Enough to know that that topic was philanthropy; the speaker was a wealthy man extolling the virtues of giving.
So, is that true? Is "how I feel about myself" the "ultimate achievement of life?"
Of course the man on the radio was talking about giving away money to charitable causes. I suppose he does have something to feel good about, if the goal of giving is to feel good about oneself. I didn't hear if he felt that was the objective of giving: to feel good. I always thought the objective of charitable giving was to make someone else's life better, not my own. Of course I didn't hear the entire interview; most likely he has other motives than his own self-esteem.
I suppose a suicide bomber feels good about himself just before he kills innocent people. He's reached his ultimate achievement. Probably an abortion clinic worker feels good about herself for steering young women toward killing their unborn babies. That's her job, and she must believe that she is doing a good thing.
Are we the best authority on what our life's ultimate achievement is, or what it should be?
2 comments:
That sounds like something Oprah would say. The longer I am a Christian the more I see the depths of my own sin which only illuminates greater and greater the sacrifice Jesus made for me. And that is where JOY comes from!
Well, if there is no higher authority then we are the ultimate deciders of what our life means. Our bellies become our gods. But if Someone created us, then He decides our purpose. How about "the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever"? Ot how about just "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength"? Oddly enough, the fact that we feel good when we give do charity or otherwise do good for others in itself is based on an outside morality. I suppose one could argue that evolution has selected those who like to help others for the good of the species. Ir maybe ven in those who don't believe they have a Creator, who think they are following only their own leading, there is still a hint of a conscience guiding them and giving thema sense of right and wrong.
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