That’s just another way of asking the question: “Why are we here?”, or “What’s our purpose?”  It’s a question that has probably been asked throughout time as we know it. It’s the topic of the biggest selling ‘Christian’ book in history. Phrased slightly differently, it’s the first question asked, and answered, in the Westminster Shorter Catechism that dates back to the 17th century. A notable Puritan preacher of the time, Thomas Watson, addressed the question in one of his sermons, the first part of which is below:

“Question. 1. What is the chief end of man?

Answer. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

Here are two ends of life specified. 1. The glorifying of God. 2. The enjoying of God.

First. The glorifying of God, 1 Pet. 4:11. “That God in all things may be glorified.” The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. l Cor. 10:31. “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial; now, man being a rational creature, must propose some end to himself, and that should be, that he may lift up God in the world. He had better lose his life than the end of his living. The great truth asserted is that the end of every man’s living should be to glorify God. Glorifying God has respect to all the persons in the Trinity; it respects God the Father who gave us life; God the Son, who lost his life for us; and God the Holy Ghost, who produces a new life in us; we must bring glory to the whole Trinity.”

So What?

With 1 Cor 10:31 in mind, I am forced to consider how my behavior might change if I asked myself the simple question: “How does this (whatever I am doing or thinking/about to do) bring glory to God?” I think it puts the popular W.W.J.D. (What Would Jesus Do) thing, with all ‘stuff’ that goes with it, on a totally different level. While I am not knocking W.W.J.D as an honorable thought (other than all the aforementioned ‘stuff”), it can turn the Lord of the universe into nothing more than a moral example with a cute slogan.

And by the way, it doesn’t take a 300 page book and a 40 day ‘journey’ to figure this out! After the first couple of pages of appearing to say it’s all about God, that one turned out to be all about ‘me’ anyway.

Life really is all about God and His Glory!