Living Life with Purpose
Convocation Address, Dr. Jairy C. Hunter, Jr., President
September 10, 2003
Listen to the audio podcast of this Convocation
Introduction
This year's Orientation Theme is “Live the Life…on Purpose!” Today we will learn how to discover our purpose, as well as the benefits of a purpose-driven life.
I teach a graduate course in CSU's School of Business called “Strategic Planning and Management.” My students learn that the basis of all planning and organizational development begins with purpose—the organization's reason for existing. From this vantage point, vision, goals, objectives, and action plans are formulated. The overall emphasis on planning is to accomplish the organization's vision—it's desired future.
A college dean said recently that a surprising number of students are graduating from college without the slightest notion of what they want to do. They have not faced the question, “Education for what?”
But college students are not alone in the search for purpose. Many people work day after day in offices and other places without a real reason.
The southern author Archibald Rutledge once told a story about a man named Sam, the engineer of a tugboat that sailed down the lazy Santee River in South Carolina. In Rutledge's opinion, the engine room of a tiny tugboat is just about the worst place. The odors from the kitchen and engine seem to congregate in the engine room. Rutledge often crossed the river on the tugboat named The Foam .
Each time he took the tugboat, the sights and smells as he passed the engine room almost made him ill. The grease and slime were repulsive to him. One memorable day, he climbed aboard and saw a new engineer named Sam. He was sitting in the doorway of the engine room reading his Bible as he waited for the passengers to come aboard. Sam was immaculate in person and in dress. Rutledge noticed a strange splendor of wisdom in his eyes. In his face, Rutledge saw the evidence of peace with God, the world, and yes, even the engine room.
Looking beyond Sam - - Rutledge saw beauty! The brasses of the engine room were shining. The bilge water was gone - - as were the filth, the smell, and the grime. Brooms, mops, and tools were all in place. The engine room had become a place of order. Rutledge was amazed, and he asked Sam if the tugboat was new. Sam assured him it was the same old boat. Rutledge asked, “How on earth did this transformation come about?” Sam's answer was classic. “Mister,” he said, “it's just this way: I've got purpose! ” Sam exhibited the inner glow of a person who knew his purpose.
In 1964, the founding trustees of Charleston Southern University envisioned a University where students would have the opportunity to obtain an excellent education and learn how to discover their purpose in life. CSU's motto is uniquely presented on the podium in this chapel and on each graduate's diploma. Our motto is taken from Matthew 28:19-20 : “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
CSU's purpose is “Promoting Academic Excellence in a Christian Environment.” This is why the CSU experience includes more than just intellectual development. At CSU, we endeavor to stimulate both the mind and the heart, because it is in the heart where one's purpose is found. Our founders' dream for CSU was that every student hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be afforded the opportunity to accept or reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Each year, many students at CSU pray to receive Christ as their Savior for the first time, thus discovering their real purpose in life. Hundreds of other students rededicate their lives, thereby committing to follow the example of Christ. For these reasons, all of our faculty, staff, and coaches are professing Christians. These individuals are genuinely trying to serve as role models and integrate Biblical principles in their professional roles. It is our desire at CSU to do whatever we can to assist every student to discover God's purpose for his or her life.
I. The Purpose-Driven Life
Ephesians 2:10 provides the Biblical foundation for the purpose-driven life: “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
One of the most popular books in America is Rick Warren's book entitled The Purpose-Driven Life . In this book, he shares the benefits of living a life of purpose. Today we will explore four significant benefits of a purpose-driven life.
1st - Purpose gives meaning to life.
The search for purpose in life has puzzled people for thousands of years. This is because we typically begin at the wrong starting point: ourselves. We ask self-centered questions such as:
“What do I want to be?”
“What should I do with my life?”
“What are my goals, my ambitions, my dreams for my future?”
I have read many self-help books suggesting ways to discover life's purpose. They all approach the subject from a self-centered viewpoint. They tell us to…
consider our dreams,
believe we can achieve,
set goals,
be disciplined,
never give up…and the list goes on!
No doubt, we would achieve a measure of success if we implemented these suggestions. But let me hasten to say, that being successful is not the same thing as fulfilling life's purpose. We learn in Matthew 16:26 , “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?”
Contrary to popular books, movies, and magazine articles, the Bible teaches that we can only discover life's meaning by knowing God. We didn't create ourselves, so there is no way we can know the purpose for which we were created.
If I handed you an object that I had just invented, would you know its purpose? The probability of you knowing its purpose would be highly unlikely. Only the creator of the object could reveal its purpose.
We must first know God before we can learn His purpose for our lives. We were made by and for God—and until we understand this important point—life will never make sense. In the book of Job we read, “It is God who directs the lives of His creatures” (Job 12:10).
Once we realize that God is the source of our lives, then we are faced with life's most important decision. The most important decision we will ever make is whether to accept or reject Christ as our personal Savior. God's plan of salvation is found in John 3:16 : “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God places the responsibility on us to accept or reject Christ as our Savior and follow His teaching. It is only through God that we discover our origin, our identity, and our purpose. Be assured that this is the only path that leads to a life with meaning.
2nd - Purpose provides focus.
Without a clear purpose, we will keep changing directions, schools, jobs, and relationships—hoping that each change will bring fulfillment. It is human nature to get distracted by minor issues. Many of us are like gyroscopes, spinning around, but never going anywhere.
Knowing our purpose, however, enables us to concentrate our efforts and energy on what is truly important. We become effective by being selective.
In order to have an impact, we must focus our lives. In fact, it is sometimes essential to prune away even good activities and do only those which matter most. We must never confuse activity with productivity.
It is common for college students to get involved in too many activities and not excel at anything. Choose carefully how you spend your time and where you place your focus. Concentrate your energy on what is most important.
In the movie Forrest Gump, the one outstanding trait that Gump seems to have is his ability to focus. He runs with all his might in whatever direction he is aimed—ideally toward the goal line! He focuses on a Ping-Pong ball with diligence and becomes a world champion. He focuses on getting men away from enemy fire in Vietnam until he collapses from exhaustion. He focuses on shrimping until he masters this skill. He focuses his love on one girl until he wins her heart. Gump isn't bright or formally educated, but he is a one-direction kind of guy. Forrest Gump is focused.
Let me encourage you to stay focused on what's most important.
3rd - Purpose generates motivation.
Nothing energizes like having a clear purpose. You can tell when someone has true passion for something—they are motivated—they love it—and it shows!
When someone is passionate about his career, then he truly enjoys waking up in the morning and going to work. If someone is passionate about her major in college, then she truly enjoys studying and learning.
Would you have guessed that…
Albert Einstein flunked high-school geometry?
The writer John Steinbeck was a college dropout?
Elvis Presley was told by his church choir director that he couldn't sing?
Michael Jordan initially failed to make his high school basketball team?
Billy Graham was nearly expelled from Bible college?
All of these people are known today as experts or leaders within their chosen fields. We are unsure whether all of them experienced the true purpose that comes from knowing Christ, but each of them was passionate about his interest. It was their passion that enabled them to stay motivated and fulfill their purpose despite setbacks and challenges.
There are a number of Biblical heroes who clearly found their overarching purpose in God. These people were so motivated that nothing stopped them.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, betrayed by his boss's wife, and left in prison for many years…but he didn't give up.
Joshua could have said, “We failed to enter into the Promised Land once. We've wandered around this wilderness now for forty years—I quit!” But he didn't.
Ruth's husband died, and her mother-in-law moved away. Ruth could have given up and decided that she would never know happiness again... but she didn't.
Daniel, after having been a slave and having been tossed into a lion's den, could have said, “Everyone's against me. The king is trying to kill me. They don't want me to pray. Why, even the lions won't have anything to do with me. I'm done!” But he didn't.
Mary faced the ridicule of people who didn't believe that she was going to give birth to the Messiah. She could have decided that being the mother of Jesus Christ just wasn't worth the criticism she endured. But she didn't.
Peter might have said, “After denying Christ three times, what's the use? I quit. Count me out!” But he didn't.
None of these great Biblical heroes quit. These heroes possessed the type of motivation that comes from living lives of purpose.
4th - Purpose prepares us for eternity.
A high school counselor once asked a student, “What are your plans for life?”
“I want to graduate from high school,” said the student.
“Then what?” asked the counselor.
“I want to graduate from college.”
“Then what?”
“I want to get a job.”
“Then what?”
“I want to get married.”
“Then what?”
“I want to have a family.”
“Then what?”
“I want to retire.”
“Then what?”
“Finally, I'll die.”
“Then what?”
No answer!
What was missing? The student had no overmastering purpose in life. She saw herself passing from one level to another, but she never answered the question, “What are you living for?” Unless we are living for Christ and preparing for eternity, then our lives have no purpose.
I. Closing
Recently, two news articles came to my attention. One was about a talented and handsome quarterback. This young man was a superb athlete, but his lack of purpose caused him to break training and miss several football games. In college, his experimentation with alcohol caused him to lose his scholarship and his position as quarterback. A few years later, his involvement with drugs caught up with him, and he served seven years in prison. Even later, his improper use of the company computer to view pornography cost him his job.
Unfortunately, life ran out for this gentleman last week when he died in an automobile accident. Who knows whether he ever found God's purpose for his life?
The second news article was a story about another football player. But this individual's lifestyle changed when he discovered his real purpose in life. In fact, I'd like to ask this football player to share his life-changing experience with you this morning. Let me introduce Bowe Butler, from Texas, who plays linebacker for our CSU Buccaneers.
Bowe Butler's Testimony
“I'm sure that most of you, if not all, have seen advertisements with travel agencies or on television for all-inclusive travel packages to Cancun or the Bahamas. These packages compete with one another to offer you the best deal and provide you with the best time. Before I became a Christian, my life was a lot like that. I had bought into the package that the world was selling me, that being successful in athletics, or being cool, or being popular, or having girls, or partying, would make me happy. I sought after those things, and the more I got of them, the more I thought, “Yeah, this is fun…but it doesn't last.” All these things may make you happy for a little while, but they all let you down.
“In high school, someone shared the Gospel with me—that Christ could completely satisfy me, that He could make me happy forever and never let me down. I learned that I didn't have to do anything to earn His love and that I didn't have to get salvation over and over again. When I heard this, I knew it was the truth. I knew that what I had bought into my whole life wasn't making me happy, so I gave God control of my life. I accepted Christ as my Savior and Lord. From that point on, God has completely satisfied my life. Yes, things don't always go the way I want them to, but He's changed my life, He's given me new desires, and He's helped me find satisfaction in Him alone.
“Everyone is alike in one way: we're all looking for satisfaction in something, whether it's academically, through sports, in relationships, through being popular, or in partying…we're all looking for satisfaction, happiness, and purpose. But I'm sure all of you would admit to yourself, even if you wouldn't admit to anyone else, that all these things let you down. When you get these things, you just have to get them again.
“So, I want to ask you, which package are you buying into? Are you buying into the package the world has for all-inclusive happiness, or are you buying into the package that Christ offers—a relationship with Him now and an eternity in heaven?”
Conclusion
Today we have heard about the lives of two talented and capable individuals. Bowe Butler's life has purpose because he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior and is committed to honoring Him. Our desire at CSU is to do whatever we can to help each of you discover God's purpose for your life.
We have learned that a purpose-driven life gives meaning, provides focus, generates motivation, and prepares us for eternity. Let me encourage you to look into the future with the same hope and encouragement that Paul expressed in Philippians 3:13-14 : “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
