Living a Meaningful Life

Paul, who wrote a major part of the New Testament Bible, wrote, “You know how we lived among you for your sake” (1Thessalonians 1:5). When we live our lives for others, we build a strong foundation for having a meaningful life. A life of selfish interest may be temporarily self-pleasing and satisfying, but it does not have lasting purpose. To live our lives for others, leads to a satisfying life. And, the character we build into the people we help continues on for generations. People are the true lasting monuments we build.
If we do not have a strong faith in God and the surety of everlasting life, it is difficult to surrender much of our valuable life resources for others. Too many people today, live their lives for only themselves. They forget that they are part of a community, and have responsibility to those around them; especially the poor and needy.
God gave us the example of being there for others. God gave us the resources to build meaningful lives, but we need to build on the foundation He gave us – Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. “For God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). If we want to have a purposeful life, we need to focus our energies and resources on God’s example of helping others. We must learn and focus our lives “for the sake of others.” Thereby, we fulfill the greatest rule in life; “Love your neighbor as yourself.”