C122 1/5/58
© Project Winsome International, 2000

SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR
Dr. John Allan Lavender
Mt. 6:24, 33; Jn.14:15; 21:15-17

One of the professional magazines to which I subscribe recently carried a story which struck me as being an uncanny caricature of modern life.

It seems there was a little old lady who had gambled practically all of her life without ever winning a cent. Every morning on her way to work, she would buy a chance on the Chinese Lottery, and every evening she would come home to the same disappointing results. When someone asked her if she did not regret having spent so much of her hard earned money in such a wasteful way, she answered nonchalantly, "No, I don't regret it. Because, although I never won, everyday it gave me something to live for."

Something to Live For! Alfred Adler, the renowned psychologist, calls this urge "the yearning for significance." He says it is one of the foundational needs of all mankind. And yet, how many there are who have nothing really significant to live for. No place really important to go. No sense of mission in life. No fundamental strategy for living. No satisfying answers to such penetrating questions as: Why are you here? Where are you going?

Carl Jung, who some say was one of the three most eminent psychiatrists our world has yet to produce, makes a most startling statement in his book "Modern Man In Search Of A Soul." He states that, "over thirty percent (of the people seeking psychological counsel) are suffering from nothing which could be classified as a clinical neurosis. Instead," Jung said, "they are suffering from the sheer senselessness and purposelessness of their lives."

To me that is an incredible statement. Here we are living in the most technically-skilled, culturally-advantaged, socially aware era in history, and yet millions of people are suffering from what Jung calls "the senselessness and purposelessness of their lives." Bishop Gerald Kennedy of the Methodist Church, says that one of the most prevalent evils of our present generation is the disease of boredom. And that also is an anomaly. For we have more entertainment than any generation has ever known. Our cities are full of fascinating things to do. Every conceivable form of amusement is at our fingertips.

We can sit in our home, and through the window of television bring the whole world into our living room. And yet with all of this, we are bored. We are so accustomed to the babble of a crowd, we are afraid to be alone. We are so used to noise, we are frightened by silence. So we engage in recreation which does not recreate. We spend enormous amounts of money for entertainment which does not entertain. We stuff ourselves with food which does not nourish. We go into hock for a myriad of things which do not satisfy. And then we wonder why life has no meaning. Why there seems so little purpose to it all. And, like the writer of Ecclesiastes, we find ourselves saying, "Vanity of vanities. All is vanity."

It is difficult to escape the conclusion that our trouble lies in having been short-sided in establishing life goals. Last summer on my vacation, I was talking with a young man who had just about everything anyone could want; a lovely home (judging from his description), two cars, a fine business, a splendid summer home, a respectable bank account, and yet he was thoroughly dissatisfied with life. He had no where else to go.

Oh, he could go on getting more of the same stuff. He could work for a bigger house, a better car, and a larger bank account, but these things had lost their fascination. He had awakened to the utter poverty of material possessions and he was asking, "Where do I go from here?" He had accepted one of the world's most popular notions: that the amassing of material possessions will produce happiness. Upon learning that isn't so, he was now searching for "Something To Live For."

The other day, I stopped off at a roadside restaurant for a bit of lunch. A man, whom I would judge to be about 65, drove up in his Cadillac and came into the restaurant. He was wearing an obviously expensive camel-hair jacket. He sat down on the stool beside me, and with some disgust said, "Bring me a bowl of hot milk and dry toast."

We stuck up a conversation and when this dubious dinner was delivered, he said, "You know, I have worked and struggled and saved all of my life to be able to eat whatever I want. And now that I can afford anything on the menu, my doctor has me eating the same stuff I ate when I was a toothless baby!"

Well, he was not the first person to discover the inadequacy of another of America's myths: The belief that life really becomes worthwhile when one reaches the highly glamorized, sweetly alluring, long awaited days of retirement.

One of the dearest friends I have in this world, is a man who had set his sights on early retirement. He had made elaborate plans on what he and his wife were going to do when the magic moment arrived. They didn't miss much along the way, but their whole strategy pointed to those golden days, when once again, they would be footloose and fancy free. Within three months of his retirement, his entire life came tumbling down. His wife was dead. His dreams were shattered. His carefully laid plans had turned to ashes. And, only recently, after long, long months of agonizing reappraisal he has once again found "Something To Live For."

I am not suggesting that we make no provisions for our retirement. Common sense dictates that we give the matter considerable thought. But I am suggesting that to make the golden days of retirement the thing for which ones lives is incredibly short sided. I could bring before you this morning, witness after witness, who would testify that it simply does not measure up to expectations.

Well, what's the answer? It's found, in part, by recognizing that the root of the problem lies in being short sided in setting our life goals, and then moving on from there to begin taking the long view of things, and by that I mean, the really long view. That of eternity!

You see folks, we fall into a pit of cynicism when we begin to suspect that our life has nothing eternal about it. We have to believe we are important, or at least what we stand for is important, or we sink into a subhuman state of mind. This is not to suggest pride, but only to say that when we lose a sense of being the eternal sons and daughters of God, we begin to think and act like earthlings for whom life is measured by a point of beginning called birth. And, a point of ending called death. And we conclude that's all there is. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Right now, our world is on the verge of a kind of nervous breakdown. The false gods of pleasure, material possessions and economic security have been found to be idols with clay feet. And people are really wondering if anything is worth living for.

Dr. Arnold Toynbee, undoubtedly the finest historian of recent vintage, was invited to Stanford University to give a series of three lectures on the theme: "Does History Make Sense?" Briefly, but brilliantly, Toynbee explained his view of history, which says, in substance, while there are cycles or rhythms in human affairs, there is also something else. Something unique and irregular. Something which cannot be explained scientifically.

Having said that, Toynbee stunned his intellectually sophisticated audience by saying, "No! History does not make sense!" After a strategic pause, he added, "Except when viewed from the Judeo-Christian interpretation of life, because," he went on to explain, "this something unique and irregular which cannot be explained along scientific lines, is actually the intervention of God in history -- moving among the affairs of men to accomplish His great will."

Toynbee concluded by saying that in his estimation, "There has not been one moment in history when God was not back within the shadows keeping watch above His own."

When one has that view of history, he is never at a loss for "Something To Live For." He has caught a glimpse of the Eternal in the temporal and is not panicked or disillusioned or side-tracked by that which is coming upon the earth.

And that brings me around to what you hear from this pulpit every Sunday. In as many ways as I can, I attempt to declare the truth that what Jesus called "The kingdom of God"-- that is, the will of God done in your life here and now -- is what gives you a glimpse into -- or a taste of -- the Eternal in the temporal.

I'm not suggesting you quit your job and become an itinerant missionary. In all probability, you can best serve the cause of Christ not by getting a new job, but by getting a new attitude toward the job you have. Dr William C. Menninger, known the world over as a leading psychiatrist, recently addressed a group of 600 members of the Iowa Association of Mental Health. He said,
"The wealthy person is the one who gives. We all reach a point where we can invest our lives in a mission and it is a mature person who does it."

Then Dr. Menninger explained that this sense of mission is so rare in the life of the average American, that the staff of the famed Menninger Foundation has listed a "sense of mission" as one of the seven important evidences of emotional maturity.

"A sense of mission." Just another way of saying, "Something To Live For." And blest are those who have it. Blest are those who know who they are, why they are here, and where they are going. Blest are those who realize that as Christians, they are to be to the world what Christ would be if Christ were here himself. Blest are they who look upon their job, not as a means of making a living, but as a means of making a life. Blest are they who get excited about meeting the nearest need. Who see the Eternal in the temporal. Who discover a sense of mission in the mundane.

Let me tell you about a few of these blest people who have been a blessing to me.
It is quite common for both husband and wife to work because they want a higher standard of living than they can achieve on one paycheck. It was quite refreshing, a while back, to meet a working wife, who works not to get more of this earth goods, but to give her entire salary to the things that matter most: the cause of Christ. Here is a woman who has found "Something To Live For."

It is quite common to want to earn more money. To "get ahead" in life. It was refreshing, therefore, to chat with a man the other day who said, "I can live comfortably on what I earn now. The only reason I try to make more is so I can give more to God." There, too, is someone who has "Something To Live For."

It is quite common for people to want nice things. To want to enjoy the comforts of life. There is nothing un-Christian about that. As a matter of fact, Jesus said:
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
God wants you to enjoy the abundant life. Jesus said he had come to "give (us) life and that more abundant." But it was quite a thrill for me the other day to hear about a man say, "When I reached the point where I had a surplus of income over and above my needs, I decided to give as much to God as I spend on myself and my family."

When he bought a new car, he went to his pastor and said, "I'm buying a new car. It costs so much. Here is a check for the same amount for Christ." A few months later he went to his pastor and said, "We've built an addition to our home. We didn't really need it, but we felt it would add to our comfort. Here's a check equal to our cost of building. We don't propose to spend more on ourselves than we do on God's work. He gave us everything we have." Believe me, here are a man and wife who have found a mission in the mundane. They have discovered the Eternal in the temporal. They have "Something To Live For."

You say, "Well, if I were set up like that financially, I'd have something to live for, too. But I'm not that well off. I still have to struggle just to make ends meet." Let me tell you about another person who has come into my life. I love to visit her because every time I do I come away with a sense of glory in my soul. She isn't young any more. She works as a cook in a private home to keep body and soul together. Her salary is $13.00 a week plus food and shelter. By cooking and doing the laundry for the gardener, she manages to pick up a few dollars more.

Talk about mundane living. What could be less inspiring than taking in wash and acting as a kind of scullery maid. And yet that dear soul has found the sense of mission. She not only gives a tithe to this church, but she regularly supports a dozen missionaries with a dollar or more each month. Nearly half of her monthly income, meager as it is, goes to support the cause of Christ.

When I made a pastoral call to her home this past week, she mentioned having read in the "Advance" that our church has $600 in bills and no money to pay them. She said, "Pastor, I don't have $600, but I want help make the burden a little lighter." She opened an envelope she had tucked away in her Bible, took out a ten dollar bill and gave it to me. When I protested that I felt she was giving too much, she chided gently and said, "Oh pastor, please take it. Put it in the offering for me this Sunday. My health doesn't allow me to get to church as often as I'd like. But I just live to give. That's about all I have strength or time to do any more."

As I drove away from the home where she works and lives, I couldn't help but wonder if there might be less boredom for some people who enjoy five and six figure incomes, if they decided to become truly trustworthy stewards -- like that dear soul with a three figure income!

What's the motivation for becoming that? Jesus put his finger on the heart of the matter when he said in John 14:15 -- "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

Later he expanded on that statement, as recorded in John 21:15-17 - "When they had finished breakast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord: you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time (Jesus) said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, Yes, Lord: you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed My sheep." (Jesus) said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because (Jesus) said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep."

If -- if -- if you love me. That's our motivation. If we love him, we will keep his
commandments. And, if we keep his commandments we will have "Something To Live For." We will be faithful witnesses. We will be faithful stewards. We will be to the world what Jesus would be if he were here himself. We will meet the nearest need in the name of the dear Lord Jesus and, in the process, we will discover the Eternal in the temporal

"If you love me..." That's the crux of the matter. May I ask you quietly this morning, do you love him? Do you seek his kingdom first? Or do you live for yourself and your people-sized goals? It isn't possible to carry water on both shoulders. Life is too short for that. And if you want "Something To Live For" you must choose -- today -- to seek his kingdom first!

Louis Evans, minister-at-large for the Presbyterian church, tells how William Hunt, the great artist, was coaching a class in landscape painting. It was late afternoon and Hunt suggested they paint the sunset. Evans discribes what happened. "As the sun was sinking behind the horizon, William Hunt looked over the shoulder of one of his most promising pupils and noticed, to his dismay that, instead of painting the sunset, this budding artist had spent all of his time painting -- with fascinating detail -- the decaying shingles on an old red barn. In alarm, the great artist and teacher exclaimed, 'Son, it won't be light long! You don't have time for both shingles and sunsets. You must choose!'"

I believe that's God's message for us on this first Sunday of the new year.
"Choose this day whom you will serve."
"We will be incredibly foolish," as Louis Evans explains,
"if we spend our days, our hopes, our energies and our purses on painting old barns and shingles, for it won't be light long!"
So meet the nearest need. Seek the Eternal in the temporal. Add a sense of mission to the mundane. As you seek his kingdom first,
"all these things will be added unto to you,"
and you will greet the dawning of each new day with a sense of joy and gladness. Why? history Because you will know in your heart of hearts that truly, you have "Something To Live For!"