Over the years I have pursued the good life through many paths that all eventually turned up as dead ends. Just a few that I have personal experience traveling:
- Achievements - A exhausting path that never ends and has no destination.
- Wealth - An exhausting and elusive path that requires much more than it offers.
- Popularity - A fickle path that leads to a life of compromise.
- Pleasure - A ruthless path that will steal away your of health and well being.
So what is the answer? The wisest man that ever lived also pondered this same question and spent a lifetime pursuing the "good life" through the means above. Solomon finally concludes his quest in the book of Ecclesiastes where he states that the above pursuits are "vanity of vanities and chasing after the wind". Have you ever tried chasing the wind? He also states that the true meaning of this life is to "Fear God and obey his commands" since God is the one who will judge the life that we have lived (Eccl 12:13).
Essentially this was the same conclusion that I arrived upon about 19 years ago. What Solomon means by "Fear God and obey His commands" is that we should live a life that honors the one who created us, God our Creator, and live by His guidelines. Jesus of Nazareth once summed up for a religious leader God's guidelines for life, "love Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength... and you shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37)." Really simplifies life doesn't it? Love God and love others. Easy to say, more difficult to live out. Bottom line: this is the narrow path will always lead to a "good life" not only this side of eternity, but also on the other side of eternity. Ready to ride the narrows? Let's ride!
