reason enough

One of my sons sent me the above image, today.  He has lately been writing inspirational slogans on a dry erase board where he works, in his efforts to encourage and motivate both himself and his coworkers.  Which efforts I heartily applaud.  Yet, after reading the words pictured above, a most unexpected and troubling thought occurred to me.  It was as if I could almost hear someone silently respond to the words written on that board, saying to himself, "Why?  Why should I care to be 'more than a man'?  What difference does it make, ultimately?"  At first I instinctively recoiled from such a thought; it seemed to convey such hopelessness.  Still, I perceived there was something in that thought ~ as well as in my own reaction to it . . . which compelled me to consider it more carefully . . . .

I saw it right away.  Why, in fact, should anyone care anything at all about striving for excellence in life?  What difference does it make whether one is strong or weak, rich or poor, famous or obscure?  So what, if by one's heroism she inspires multitudes ~ to do . . . what?  To be . . . what?  Why should the life of any person matter, ultimately?

Why should I devote myself to develop my "full potential" as a human being?  What does that mean, anyways?  What does it matter whether I aim to become the world's most accomplished pianist? or architect? or athlete? or entrepreneur? or . . . .

What is a sufficiently good enough reason why anyone should seek after "greatness" (howsoever one may choose to define that)?

Is "fame" a good enough reason in itself for one to seek to obtain that?  So what? if it were the case that ten-million people know my name and face.  Of course, that would result in a great many "opportunities" for me ~ to enrich myself and to become even more famous.  Yet, the tragic stories of multitudes of once-famous (but now dead) personalities amply testify that fame does not satisfy the human heart and mind.

The same can be said without further elaboration, concerning wealth.

But what about the goal of "excellence" for its own sake?  Aside from the conundrum of then having to define what is meant by "excellence," one were left still with the question unanswered.  What is the intrinsic worth of "excellence"?  The question seems to me like a dog chasing its own tail.

All such questioning, really, derives from, and appeals to, the pride and self-centeredness of the individual.   How will (fame, wealth, other accomplishments) make me feel about myself?  How will "success" make my life better, more comfortable and enjoyable?  Etcetera.

These are the sorts of existential questions that down through the centuries have led many to conclude there is no "ultimate" reason, for anything.  And that notion ~ the idea that there is no ultimate reason for anything ~ is what I discerned was intimated in the troubled 'voice' I 'heard' in my mind, objecting to the words written on my son's dry erase board.
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The experience I have been discussing has been very good for me.  For, it has made me keenly aware that I must not make the mistake of supposing to inspire and motivate others to care about their own personal development ~ apart from giving (or at least attempting to persuade) them, first of all, that there is in fact reason enough why that anything matters.

God put it in man to want to live.  Suicide, I am sure, never comes naturally or easy for anyone.  Death is unnatural; it is contrary to everything that man is in himself as one created by God.  God is the giver of Life.  Each and every human being is possessed of the power of that life wherewith God has endowed him or her.  It takes the devil a long time to deceive any person to believe he can end his suffering by ending his own life.

Apart from an awareness and belief in the reality of the true and living God ~ as well as some comprehension and appreciation of the implications, of such awareness and faith, for one's own existence in and by that Divine Being: apart from such awareness and faith, I say, there can be no other reason sufficient to give purpose and meaning to one's life, much less to give hope that anything truly matters, ultimately.
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Last night I watched a documentary titled, "Made For More."  It featured Rachael Hollister and her "RISE" campaign.  Rachael has attained a measure of notoriety as an author and motivational speaker whose target audience, evidently, is women.

Rachael confessed that she is the daughter of "a Pentecostal preacher."  She said she wanted to reproduce, in her RISE meetings, the same feelings of friendship and mutual support that she had experienced in various women's church groups.  Albeit she also stressed her desire to reproduce such feelings of friendship and intimacy in her meetings, without incorporating an element of "faith."  Women of every faith, indeed, of any faith or no faith, are invited to attend her RISE meetings:

"It's the thing women want most: they want Community.  I wanted them to be able to experience what it's like to go to a women's group at church ~ but where there was no faith associated with it ....  So I wanted to create the feeling, and the welcoming, and the love, and the energy of that kind of event, but that you could come to if you were Muslim, or Jewish, or agnostic, or whatever: you're welcome here."  (Rachael Hollister, "Made For More")

Curiously, at one point she said she believed that God was leading her to do what she was doing with RISE.  She also expressed her hope that women would "step more fully into who they were made to be...lived into who they were made to be, into who their Creator made them to be."

Just don't bring "faith" to one of her meetups.  Or, at least, don't suppose that anyone's faith ~ or renunciation of that ~ is any reason why we all can't just get along and "be better, together."
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"Community" ~ without Christ.  "Community" ~ with those who explicitly reject Christ.  "Feelings" of love and friendship ~ but without any necessary foundation in the truth of God.  But God is leading her, she claims ~ to inspire other women to "live into who they were made to be, by their Creator."

Are those the ramblings of someone merely naive and confused?  Or do they rather betray a sinister attempt by the Adversary to deceive Mrs. Hollister and her followers...?
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I want to close by giving a word of advice to all my Children:  "Your attempts to inspire and encourage and motivate others, with words designed to those ends, is good and noble.  But know this: Such words shine a brilliant light upon the emptiness and lostness in their own souls ~ whether they consciously perceive that to be the case or not.  DON'T LEAVE THEM IN THAT CONDITION, WITHOUT POINTING THEM THE WAY OUT OF THEIR DARKNESS.  GIVE THEM REASON ENOUGH ~ TO LIVE; AND, IN ORDER TO LIVE, TO OVERCOME ALL THINGS.  IN A WORD, GIVE THEM ~ CHRIST."

Which, if you do, you will become an enemy to those who reject your testimony....

...but a friend to God.

THEREFORE, BE WISE....