Meaning – where transcendence & reality converge
When all of our dreams, ambitions and even our purposes fade we often find ourselves face to face with the raw reality of life. A time when we quite suddenly may discover ourselves in the midst of meaning and its life altering power.
I think everyone has heard a story or personally witnessed those very fortunate individuals, who on the journey of life, move from success to success with an ease most envy. It seems as if they not only have a sense of clear and unambiguous purpose, but that purpose and even successes itself clings to them. Yet, so many times, the lives of these individuals come to a crashing halt, by an accident, sickness, or some other terrible unexpected turn of events. It is the kind of stories tabloids love. The obvious insight, though difficult to comprehend – life is more than success, living with purpose, even admirable causes. A more difficult question is, how do we as humans respond to such times in life? How do we transform devastating circumstances that can reduce our purposes in life to shreds in moments? It is in light of such stories and human experiences that are so common to all of us that the question and pursuit of meaning becomes so important.
For those in the midst of such misfortune, life itself may lose all sense of purpose, and for a good reason, the purpose they believed so strongly in, the reason they got up every day was suddenly and without warning fell apart. Others, go through life with what appears to be a normal successful existence, then without explanation, they no longer feel life is desirable or worthwhile. The things they once believed was so important becomes something of a shadow even meaningless. Some simply do not know how to talk about this deep sense of meaninglessness, and very often give up trying, and when the sense of meaninglessness becomes so strong they even give up on life.
Meaning very often comes to us in the discovery that living is much more than ambition, success, even those good wholesome purposes we may be living for. In the grand scheme of things, living, the privilege of breath, love, and the most simple experiences can easily forgotten in the pursuit of our purpose. Often meaning comes to us and reminds us that life’s ultimate purpose, begins with simply being aware of the gift of living. As some like to say; ‘the meaning of life is simply living.’ Yet, there is something deep inside that beckons us to more. When all of our purposes in life, our goals and ambitions, dreams, and the affections of hearts, are fading meaning conspires on us, and asks, what is it that we are living for? Is there more than to life than even life itself? Fortunately, we are not alone, and many have faced the same dilemma, and we can learn much from these souls.
Since the beginning of our conversation we invoked the notion that our pursuit of meaning is something similar to a branch by branch climb – much like children engaged in the activity of tree climbing. We took into consideration the significance of certain features such as purpose, process, the importance of place and power. We have also been emphasizing the significance of how the story of our life, both in its reality and our own perceptions will play an enormous role in whether or not we are able to confront or come into the presence of meaning. This is not only a difficult step to take, it is a step that is challenging to understand. Difficult to comprehend because though it is certainly not entirely a leap of faith, it is neither a step that is determined by our most ambitious intellectual endeavors. Rather, it seems to be a process that involves the totality of our being encapsulating our heart, soul and mind.
Fortunately, we are not alone, and many have faced the same dilemma of the pursuit of meaning and we can learn much from these souls. They like many others all came to not only realize the significance of the pursuit of meaning in their life story but that meaning is itself, about a much larger story that . Being in the presence of meaning brings us into the paradox of the fact that we are very insignificant in the grand scheme of things, yet, we are also completely unique in our place in history. There has never been anyone like in before and their will never be anyone like you again. It leads us to a difficult question; how do we reconcile inconsequential nature of our existence with the inimitable role of our life story in its potential influence for the future as well as our own sense of meaning? Again, we are not alone, and many have faced the same dilemma. Let us now turn to four individuals who have struggled in their pursuit of meaning and learn from their successes and failures.
For those in the midst of such misfortune, life itself may lose all sense of purpose, and for a good reason, the purpose they believed so strongly in, the reason they got up every day was suddenly and without warning fell apart. Others, go through life with what appears to be a normal successful existence, then without explanation, they no longer feel life is desirable or worthwhile. The things they once believed was so important becomes something of a shadow even meaningless. Some simply do not know how to talk about this deep sense of meaninglessness, and very often give up trying, and when the sense of meaninglessness becomes so strong they even give up on life.
Meaning very often comes to us in the discovery that living is much more than ambition, success, even those good wholesome purposes we may be living for. In the grand scheme of things, living, the privilege of breath, love, and the most simple experiences can easily forgotten in the pursuit of our purpose. Often meaning comes to us and reminds us that life’s ultimate purpose, begins with simply being aware of the gift of living. As some like to say; ‘the meaning of life is simply living.’ Yet, there is something deep inside that beckons us to more. When all of our purposes in life, our goals and ambitions, dreams, and the affections of hearts, are fading meaning conspires on us, and asks, what is it that we are living for? Is there more than to life than even life itself? Fortunately, we are not alone, and many have faced the same dilemma, and we can learn much from these souls.
Since the beginning of our conversation we invoked the notion that our pursuit of meaning is something similar to a branch by branch climb – much like children engaged in the activity of tree climbing. We took into consideration the significance of certain features such as purpose, process, the importance of place and power. We have also been emphasizing the significance of how the story of our life, both in its reality and our own perceptions will play an enormous role in whether or not we are able to confront or come into the presence of meaning. This is not only a difficult step to take, it is a step that is challenging to understand. Difficult to comprehend because though it is certainly not entirely a leap of faith, it is neither a step that is determined by our most ambitious intellectual endeavors. Rather, it seems to be a process that involves the totality of our being encapsulating our heart, soul and mind.
Fortunately, we are not alone, and many have faced the same dilemma of the pursuit of meaning and we can learn much from these souls. They like many others all came to not only realize the significance of the pursuit of meaning in their life story but that meaning is itself, about a much larger story that . Being in the presence of meaning brings us into the paradox of the fact that we are very insignificant in the grand scheme of things, yet, we are also completely unique in our place in history. There has never been anyone like in before and their will never be anyone like you again. It leads us to a difficult question; how do we reconcile inconsequential nature of our existence with the inimitable role of our life story in its potential influence for the future as well as our own sense of meaning? Again, we are not alone, and many have faced the same dilemma. Let us now turn to four individuals who have struggled in their pursuit of meaning and learn from their successes and failures.
We will now consider four great human stories that have impacted history concerning the problem of meaning. King Solomon, Siddhartha (the Buddha), Job & Ruth.
King Solomon
I have seen all things that done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after wind.....For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge the more grief. (Ecclesiastes 1:14 &18)
There is a time and a season for everything, and a season for everything activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
I applied my mind to everything done under the sun....No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. (Ecclesiastes 8:9 & 17)
There is a time and a season for everything, and a season for everything activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
I applied my mind to everything done under the sun....No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. (Ecclesiastes 8:9 & 17)
We have been exploring the teachings of King Solomon throughout our discussion in Meaning Tree. However, we have not said much concerning his life and personal quest for meaning. Solomon was a king in ancient Israel around 1000 B.C. He was the son of King David born out of an adulteress relationship with a woman named Bathsheba. Solomon’s life began with great ambition and purposes that rival any historical comparison. It has been recorded that people from all surrounding nations came to hear his wisdom, he composed 1005 songs. Song of Songs is a beautiful example describing the erotic mental and emotional state of love before its embrace. He also composed and collected 3000 proverbs, many in the book of Proverbs, and he wrote the book we have been citing the book of Ecclesiastes. He had an unusual propensity of simultaneously being powerful/wealthy/influential and wise as well. (I Kings 10:23-27, I Kings 4:31) In addition, he had great military strength (I Kings 10:26) and was an expert in many fields such as fine crafts and the arts. He built parks, houses, vineyards and reservoirs.. (Eccl. 2:4-6, I Kings 4:32-34) Apparently, he was an expert in time management and capable of remembering birthdays and anniversaries, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines! (I Kings 11:1-4) Yet, Solomon was tenacious and declared; "In all this my wisdom stayed with me" (Eccl. 2:9)
Despite the fact that Solomon accomplished much, and he had very little restraint as to what he could desire to accomplish, he came to a point in which he pondered; "I thought in my heart, Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. "laughter I said, "Is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" Furthermore he drank wine and experimented with altering his state of mind through drunkenness to no avail. (Eccl 2:3) He amassed great wealth in the form of gold, silver and the arts, but Solomon remained unsatisfied (Eccl. 2:7-8, 5:10) Despite having popularity that rivaled any Hollywood star or anyone before him he was still able to declare; "In all this my wisdom stayed with me" (Eccl. 2:9)
However, in the midst of all of Solomon's great accomplishments he is led to a very sobering conclusion.
Despite the fact that Solomon accomplished much, and he had very little restraint as to what he could desire to accomplish, he came to a point in which he pondered; "I thought in my heart, Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. "laughter I said, "Is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" Furthermore he drank wine and experimented with altering his state of mind through drunkenness to no avail. (Eccl 2:3) He amassed great wealth in the form of gold, silver and the arts, but Solomon remained unsatisfied (Eccl. 2:7-8, 5:10) Despite having popularity that rivaled any Hollywood star or anyone before him he was still able to declare; "In all this my wisdom stayed with me" (Eccl. 2:9)
However, in the midst of all of Solomon's great accomplishments he is led to a very sobering conclusion.
I denied nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when i surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. what more can the king's successor do than what has already been done? I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness; while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. Then I thought in my heart, "The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?" For the wise man like the fool, will not be long remembered. In days to come both will forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die! (Ecclesiastes 2:10-3:16)
Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. what more can the king's successor do than what has already been done? I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness; while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. Then I thought in my heart, "The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?" For the wise man like the fool, will not be long remembered. In days to come both will forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die! (Ecclesiastes 2:10-3:16)
"In essence Solomon is saying to us, “I’ve done it all and there is only one thing that is constant and upon which you can depend your entire life.” “Fear God and keep his commandments?.” (Eccl. 12:13). The wisdom that is from God is more valuable than the most precious substances on earth (Prov. 16:16). The life of Solomon is both of great accomplishment and great tragedy. Solomon’s life began with great purpose, but it was led astray and ultimately destroyed."2
The Buddha – Siddhartha Gautama
Live well, strive on with awareness - be enlightened – pursue meaning
To do no evil;
To cultivate good;
To purify one's mind:
This is the teaching of the Buddhas.
-The Dhammapada
Impermanent are all created things;
Strive on with awareness.
(The last words of the Buddha before he died around 486 B.C)
For those entrenched in the values of modern living, it may be difficult to identify with the person of Siddhartha Gautama often referred to as the Buddha. The tale of Siddhartha begins with a young Indian man born into an affluent family, in a town in which his father, a very well-learned and influential Brahmin and likewise a teacher and leader. Siddhartha is expected to take up the path of his father, but, becomes very dissatisfied with what such a life offers, because the teachings have not led to enlightenment. He and his best friend Govinda, leave the comfort of their affluent lives to become ascetics, in the pursuit of truth, joining a group of Samanas, learning self-denial, mediation, and leading a life of poverty in the pursuit of enlightenment. Eventually, they meet a holy man, Gotama the Buddha, a teacher or an enlightened one. Yet, even in following him in a life committed to his teachings, Siddhartha, over time, discovers a contradiction in the Gotama’s teaching. The problem of embracing the unity of all things while simultaneously trying to overpower the world through denial of all pleasures and attachments. Siddhartha decides to part from the Gotama the Buddha, and the life of asceticism to pursue the pleasures of the world. He wanders for a time and comes across a ferryman who is quite friendly and content with the simplicity of life. He crosses the river comes to a city, meets a beautiful woman named Kamala, from which he learns the pleasures of lovemaking, dancing and drinking. Eventually becomes a wealthy merchant with a business partner Kamaswami. After some time Siddhartha becomes more and more detached from life, caught in a cycle of unhappiness. He dreams of a dead songbird in a cage and realizes the life of pleasure is killing him. Suddenly and without notice, he gets up one day leaving his wife and business partner. He wanders and ends up at the river, sick at heart, he considers killing himself, but, falls asleep. He is neither a Samana nor a wealthy man, he desires to be something new. Eventually, he finds Vasudeva the ferry man, and desires to have an inner peace like his. As he grows old with the ferryman, becoming enlightened, by chance his wife Kamala returns to him with an eleven year old boy. She is bitten by a snake and dies. Perhaps, even sadder for Siddhartha is the boy is spoiled and cynical, and eventually steels money from him and Vasudeva. The boy flees to a city and though Siddhartha pursues him he cannot find him. Siddhartha returns to the river and Vasudeva encourages him to listen to the river to soothe his soul. He listens to the river for many years and has a revelation:
Just as the water of the river flows into the ocean and is returned by rain, all forms of life are interconnected in a cycle without beginning or end. Birth and death are all part of a timeless unity. Life and death, joy and sorrow, good and evil are all parts of the whole and are necessary to understand the meaning of life. ( www.sparknotes.com/lit/siddhartha/summary.html )
The story ends capitulates with Govinda returning to the river to seek enlightenment in hopes meeting with a wise man who is rumored to live there. When Govinda arrives, he does not recognize that the wise man is Siddhartha himself. Govinda is still a follower of Gotama but has yet to attain the kind of enlightenment that Siddhartha now radiates, and he asks Siddhartha to teach him what he knows. Siddhartha explains that neither he nor anyone can teach the wisdom to Govinda, because verbal explanations are limited and can never communicate the entirety of enlightenment. Instead, he asks Govinda to kiss him on the forehead, and when Govinda does, the vision of unity that Siddhartha has experienced is communicated instantly to Govinda. Govinda and Siddhartha have both finally achieved the enlightenment they set out to find in the days of their youth.
The story ends capitulates with Govinda returning to the river to seek enlightenment in hopes meeting with a wise man who is rumored to live there. When Govinda arrives, he does not recognize that the wise man is Siddhartha himself. Govinda is still a follower of Gotama but has yet to attain the kind of enlightenment that Siddhartha now radiates, and he asks Siddhartha to teach him what he knows. Siddhartha explains that neither he nor anyone can teach the wisdom to Govinda, because verbal explanations are limited and can never communicate the entirety of enlightenment. Instead, he asks Govinda to kiss him on the forehead, and when Govinda does, the vision of unity that Siddhartha has experienced is communicated instantly to Govinda. Govinda and Siddhartha have both finally achieved the enlightenment they set out to find in the days of their youth.
Job
"Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return: the Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
"Why do the righteous suffer?"
A life of purpose interrupted by loss & suffering leads to meaning found No matter how unbearable our suffering seems our ultimate meaning in life far exceeds our greatest losses
"Why do the righteous suffer?"
A life of purpose interrupted by loss & suffering leads to meaning found No matter how unbearable our suffering seems our ultimate meaning in life far exceeds our greatest losses
Perhaps one of the most ancient stories we know of, concerning the human struggle, suffering and the answer to the meaning of life, is that of Job (pronounced like a ‘robe’ with a ‘J’) as recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures. Like the book of Ecclesiastes, which depicts the role of wisdom in the pursuit of meaning, Job is considered to be one of the greatest literary works, often listed as one of the top 100 of ancient history. I didn’t know they took polls!0 Though the book is found in the Hebrew scriptures, Job was a man from the land of Ur, (ancient Arabia)0 but had a very clear monotheistic belief system and a hope of future “Redeemer”.0 (Job 16:19, 19:25) What we know was Job was a good man, a man with a large family and much wealth. (Job 1:1) Let us briefly summarize the important elements of Job’s story;
“In the course of one day, Job receives four messages, each bearing separate news that his livestock, servants, and ten children have all died due to marauding invaders or natural catastrophes. Job tears his clothes and shaves his head in mourning, but he still blesses God in his prayers. Satan appears in heaven again, and God grants him another chance to test Job. This time, Job is afflicted with horrible skin sores. His wife encourages him to curse God and to give up and die, but Job refuses, struggling to accept his circumstances.
Three of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, come to visit him, sitting with Job in silence for seven days out of respect for his mourning. On the seventh day, Job speaks, beginning a conversation in which each of the four men shares his thoughts on Job’s afflictions in long, poetic statements…..Job curses the day he was born, comparing life and death to light and darkness. He wishes that his birth had been shrouded in darkness and longs to have never been born, feeling that light, or life, only intensifies his misery. Eliphaz responds that Job, who has comforted other people, now shows that he never really understood their pain. Eliphaz believes that Job’s agony must be due to some sin Job has committed, and he urges Job to seek God’s favor. Bildad and Zophar agree that Job must have committed evil to offend God’s justice and argue that he should strive to exhibit more blameless behavior. Bildad surmises that Job’s children brought their deaths upon themselves. Even worse, Zophar implies that whatever wrong Job has done probably deserves greater punishment than what he has received.
Job responds to each of these remarks, growing so irritated that he calls his friends “worthless physicians” who “whitewash [their advice] with lies” (13:4). After making pains to assert his blameless character, Job ponders man’s relationship to God. He wonders why God judges people by their actions if God can just as easily alter or forgive their behavior. It is also unclear to Job how a human can appease or court God’s justice. God is unseen, and his ways are inscrutable and beyond human understanding. Moreover, humans cannot possibly persuade God with their words. God cannot be deceived, and Job admits that he does not even understand himself well enough to effectively plead his case to God. Job wishes for someone who can mediate between himself and God, or for God to send him to Sheol, the deep place of the dead…..God finally interrupts, calling from a whirlwind and demanding Job to be brave and respond to his questions. God’s questions are rhetorical, intending to show how little Job knows about creation and how much power God alone has. God describes many detailed aspects of his creation, praising especially his creation of two large beasts, the Behemoth and Leviathan. Overwhelmed by the encounter, Job acknowledges God’s unlimited power and admits the limitations of his human knowledge. This response pleases God, but he is upset with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar for spouting poor and theologically unsound advice. Job intercedes on their behalf, and God forgives them. God returns Job’s health, providing him with twice as much property as before, new children, and an extremely long life.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldtestament/section11.rhtml
Three of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, come to visit him, sitting with Job in silence for seven days out of respect for his mourning. On the seventh day, Job speaks, beginning a conversation in which each of the four men shares his thoughts on Job’s afflictions in long, poetic statements…..Job curses the day he was born, comparing life and death to light and darkness. He wishes that his birth had been shrouded in darkness and longs to have never been born, feeling that light, or life, only intensifies his misery. Eliphaz responds that Job, who has comforted other people, now shows that he never really understood their pain. Eliphaz believes that Job’s agony must be due to some sin Job has committed, and he urges Job to seek God’s favor. Bildad and Zophar agree that Job must have committed evil to offend God’s justice and argue that he should strive to exhibit more blameless behavior. Bildad surmises that Job’s children brought their deaths upon themselves. Even worse, Zophar implies that whatever wrong Job has done probably deserves greater punishment than what he has received.
Job responds to each of these remarks, growing so irritated that he calls his friends “worthless physicians” who “whitewash [their advice] with lies” (13:4). After making pains to assert his blameless character, Job ponders man’s relationship to God. He wonders why God judges people by their actions if God can just as easily alter or forgive their behavior. It is also unclear to Job how a human can appease or court God’s justice. God is unseen, and his ways are inscrutable and beyond human understanding. Moreover, humans cannot possibly persuade God with their words. God cannot be deceived, and Job admits that he does not even understand himself well enough to effectively plead his case to God. Job wishes for someone who can mediate between himself and God, or for God to send him to Sheol, the deep place of the dead…..God finally interrupts, calling from a whirlwind and demanding Job to be brave and respond to his questions. God’s questions are rhetorical, intending to show how little Job knows about creation and how much power God alone has. God describes many detailed aspects of his creation, praising especially his creation of two large beasts, the Behemoth and Leviathan. Overwhelmed by the encounter, Job acknowledges God’s unlimited power and admits the limitations of his human knowledge. This response pleases God, but he is upset with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar for spouting poor and theologically unsound advice. Job intercedes on their behalf, and God forgives them. God returns Job’s health, providing him with twice as much property as before, new children, and an extremely long life.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldtestament/section11.rhtml
The story of Job is certainly complex and profound yet, its message is rather comprehensible
· There are some things about life that are clear; the importance of family, our good reputation, possessions, health, friendships, truth and our desire to understand the source of suffering, justice and restoration.
· There are many things we do not understand; why suffering comes to the good as it does the evil, the scope and complexity of creation, Justice from God’s perspective, and a host of unseen powers that can conspire to challenge our purposeful living in the pursuit of meaning. It all seems beyond the human intellect. Both Job and consoling friends come to the realization that no one can understand enough to understand creation or it’s Creator. (38:18) However, in the grand scheme of things there is an answer. It is really about understanding our insignificance even our personal suffering in the grand scheme of things.
Learning from Job the man and his struggle
· Though Job had a time when he doubted, and wished he had never lived (he was overwhelmed by meaninglessness) he persevered, believing that ultimately his redeemer would deliver him. Ultimately, that revelation came with Job's complete restoration exceeding what he had before.
· There are some things about life that are clear; the importance of family, our good reputation, possessions, health, friendships, truth and our desire to understand the source of suffering, justice and restoration.
· There are many things we do not understand; why suffering comes to the good as it does the evil, the scope and complexity of creation, Justice from God’s perspective, and a host of unseen powers that can conspire to challenge our purposeful living in the pursuit of meaning. It all seems beyond the human intellect. Both Job and consoling friends come to the realization that no one can understand enough to understand creation or it’s Creator. (38:18) However, in the grand scheme of things there is an answer. It is really about understanding our insignificance even our personal suffering in the grand scheme of things.
Learning from Job the man and his struggle
- Though important, life is not about what you possess, your friends, even your family or physical health
- It is not about being able to claim how good you are, and your perceived right to be exempt from loss and suffering
- Even in the greatest most unimaginable loss in life, the question of life’s meaning returns us to a much larger perspective which will ultimately be answered in our relationship to God.
· Though Job had a time when he doubted, and wished he had never lived (he was overwhelmed by meaninglessness) he persevered, believing that ultimately his redeemer would deliver him. Ultimately, that revelation came with Job's complete restoration exceeding what he had before.
Ruth
"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.
Your people will be my people and your God my God."
Your people will be my people and your God my God."
Ruth's story begins when an Israelite woman, named Naomi, and her husband, Elimelech, leave their hometown of Bethlehem. Israel is suffering from famine and they decide to relocate to the nearby nation of Moab. Eventually Naomi's husband dies and Naomi's sons marry Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. After ten years of marriage both of Naomi's sons die of unknown causes and she decides that it is time to return to her homeland of Israel. The famine has subsided and she no longer has immediate family in Moab. Naomi tells her daughters-in-law about her plans and both of them say they want to go with her. But they are young women with every chance of remarrying, so Naomi advises them to stay in their homeland, remarry and begin new lives. Orpah eventually agrees, but Ruth insists upon staying with Naomi. "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you," Ruth tells Naomi. "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16). Ruth's statement not only proclaims her loyalty to Naomi but her desire to join Naomi's people - the Jewish people. "In the thousands of years since Ruth spoke these words," writes Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, "no one has better defined the combination of peoplehood and religion that characterizes Judaism: 'Your people shall be my people' ('I wish to join the Jewish nation'), 'Your God shall be my God'
Some
might feel the story of Ruth from the Hebrew Scriptures to be an unusual choice
for historical personalities who have had a great influence on the conversation
of meaning. I did not choose Ruth to be
‘politically correct’ but, because of the fact that I believe her life has a
stronger correlation to most of us than Siddhartha, Solomon, or even Job. Admittedly,
some of us will undoubtedly come to face incredible loss or suffering as Job
did, while, far less of us will ever have the kind of life that Solomon had, or
the willingness to give so much, as Siddhartha did, in the pursuit of enlightenment. The life of Ruth speaks simultaneously of the
complexity of life reduced to certain fundamental truths. Those truths when expressed in the beauty of
human relationships are themselves the path to a much needed vision of the
transcendent. A vision that is capable of lifting out or the context of our own
purposes into a context in which meaning is realized.
Ruth
did not like many we have been considering such as; Solomon, Lot, or Siddhartha
address the problem of meaning directly through questioning, the pursuit of special
insights, wisdom, revelation or the experience of the enlightenment. Rather, Ruth by her significant life choices
and in very few spoken avowals, chose a commitment to very tangible purposes in
the form of relationship makes a great case of how meaning is far from a mere
intellectual or even spiritual pursuit. I believe this is the exact way that
most of us will come to contextualize our pursuit of meaning. Let us consider how Ruth and her life story,
is a great a example of several key components of a life lived with purpose –
and a life symbolizing meaning found.
First, we find in Ruth the unusual quality of a soul willing to leave her culture and worldview accepting or converting to an alien belief system. Ruth was a Moabite, an ancient group of people who lived in Palestine who were more than likely polytheistic in their religious beliefs. We have no indication of when she left her people and their beliefs but we do know she and her sister, marries into a Jewish family making a clear commitment to the Jewish faith. When shaken by the loss of her husband of 10 years, and slipping into severe poverty, she continues in her commitment to the beliefs of Judaism. The story narrative reveals several of Ruth’s character qualities; loyalty, perseverance.
Ruth’s connection to the Jewish belief system was much more than a mere intellectual commitment to a different worldview. It was a conversion and connection that seems to have arose out of a deep sense of purpose to her immediate relationships. We find clear evidence of her unambiguous statement to her mother in law, Naomi after the passing of her husband. "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you," Ruth tells Naomi. "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16)
Ruth's statement not only proclaims her loyalty to Naomi but her desire to join Naomi's people - the Jewish people. "In the thousands of years since Ruth spoke these words," writes Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, "no one has better defined the combination of peoplehood and religion that characterizes Judaism: 'Your people shall be my people' ('I wish to join the Jewish nation'), 'Your God shall be my God' (http://judaism.about.com/od/jewishpersonalities/a/Ruth-Women-In-the-Bible.htm)
In modern thinking it might very well be easy to miss the implications of this. Ruth, a widow, by staying with Naomi, a widow as well, was declaring her willingness to accept poverty and the probability of suffering and perhaps even an early death. As a relatively young woman she would be, in this kind of attachment to Naomi, almost certainly be relinquishing any chance of marrying. By any standards Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi is commendable. However, it is easy to miss the significant lesson in this. When Ruth declares ‘Your God shall be my God’ she is clearly identifying herself with a meaning in life that transcends her purposes.
Ruth loves and trusts Naomi and heeds her unusual request to lie at the foot of a man, who is a relative of Naomi, but someone Ruth does not know. The man Boaz, is honorable marries Ruth and they have a son Obed who is the grandfather of King David. Jews believe that the ‘Redeemer’ would be born of King David’s lineage. New Testament genealogies link Christ to King David, Obed and thus Ruth! Even if one were an atheist or agnostic the obvious influence that Christ has had on history is difficult to downplay. Ruth a Moabite who converted to Judaism, through perseverance and loyalty ends up not only leading a life of purpose, but in the end a life that is profoundly meaningful in a larger historical context.
First, we find in Ruth the unusual quality of a soul willing to leave her culture and worldview accepting or converting to an alien belief system. Ruth was a Moabite, an ancient group of people who lived in Palestine who were more than likely polytheistic in their religious beliefs. We have no indication of when she left her people and their beliefs but we do know she and her sister, marries into a Jewish family making a clear commitment to the Jewish faith. When shaken by the loss of her husband of 10 years, and slipping into severe poverty, she continues in her commitment to the beliefs of Judaism. The story narrative reveals several of Ruth’s character qualities; loyalty, perseverance.
Ruth’s connection to the Jewish belief system was much more than a mere intellectual commitment to a different worldview. It was a conversion and connection that seems to have arose out of a deep sense of purpose to her immediate relationships. We find clear evidence of her unambiguous statement to her mother in law, Naomi after the passing of her husband. "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you," Ruth tells Naomi. "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16)
Ruth's statement not only proclaims her loyalty to Naomi but her desire to join Naomi's people - the Jewish people. "In the thousands of years since Ruth spoke these words," writes Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, "no one has better defined the combination of peoplehood and religion that characterizes Judaism: 'Your people shall be my people' ('I wish to join the Jewish nation'), 'Your God shall be my God' (http://judaism.about.com/od/jewishpersonalities/a/Ruth-Women-In-the-Bible.htm)
In modern thinking it might very well be easy to miss the implications of this. Ruth, a widow, by staying with Naomi, a widow as well, was declaring her willingness to accept poverty and the probability of suffering and perhaps even an early death. As a relatively young woman she would be, in this kind of attachment to Naomi, almost certainly be relinquishing any chance of marrying. By any standards Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi is commendable. However, it is easy to miss the significant lesson in this. When Ruth declares ‘Your God shall be my God’ she is clearly identifying herself with a meaning in life that transcends her purposes.
Ruth loves and trusts Naomi and heeds her unusual request to lie at the foot of a man, who is a relative of Naomi, but someone Ruth does not know. The man Boaz, is honorable marries Ruth and they have a son Obed who is the grandfather of King David. Jews believe that the ‘Redeemer’ would be born of King David’s lineage. New Testament genealogies link Christ to King David, Obed and thus Ruth! Even if one were an atheist or agnostic the obvious influence that Christ has had on history is difficult to downplay. Ruth a Moabite who converted to Judaism, through perseverance and loyalty ends up not only leading a life of purpose, but in the end a life that is profoundly meaningful in a larger historical context.
A brief critique of four lives in the pursuit of meaning
In considering the lives of Job, Siddhartha, Ruth and King Solomon we will discover some common threads or themes in living with purpose in the pursuit of meaning. Those themes are roughly speaking - but not limited to: the significance of tangible purposes, understanding the problem of wealth/material possessions and pleasure, the understanding or the revelation of the immensity of reality and our insignificance, and finally, our pursuit of wisdom of enlightenment & purpose, does not guarantee meaning. For Solomon, Job, Siddhartha and Ruth these themes play out in very different and unique ways.
Both Job and Solomon were men of great wealth and neither believed that wealth, influence, power, ambition or even character would in any way have a direct correlation to meaning. Siddhartha and Ruth both deny wealth and choose poverty, Siddhartha in hope of finding enlightenment, Ruth with a great sense of loyalty defined by human relationships. Solomon, Job and Siddhartha all come to the realization of their insignificance in the grand scheme of everything, through personal circumstances, inward reflection and to varying degrees of revelation. Ruth on the other hand seems to grow into this truth relationally asserting her love for Naomi and the God of a people she has joined.
The lives of these four individuals are significantly different yet, there are certain core truths that they come to discover in their pursuit of meaning. Though they come to ultimately define their confrontation with meaning in different ways, in the end there are clear lessons for us to consider in our pursuit of meaning as well. Let’s look at these lessons or core principles a little more closely.
Both Job and Solomon were men of great wealth and neither believed that wealth, influence, power, ambition or even character would in any way have a direct correlation to meaning. Siddhartha and Ruth both deny wealth and choose poverty, Siddhartha in hope of finding enlightenment, Ruth with a great sense of loyalty defined by human relationships. Solomon, Job and Siddhartha all come to the realization of their insignificance in the grand scheme of everything, through personal circumstances, inward reflection and to varying degrees of revelation. Ruth on the other hand seems to grow into this truth relationally asserting her love for Naomi and the God of a people she has joined.
The lives of these four individuals are significantly different yet, there are certain core truths that they come to discover in their pursuit of meaning. Though they come to ultimately define their confrontation with meaning in different ways, in the end there are clear lessons for us to consider in our pursuit of meaning as well. Let’s look at these lessons or core principles a little more closely.
I – The significance of tangible purposes
Living and excelling in life with tangible purposes is a significant part of story, however, our ambition or success in no way guarantees we will have lived life with meaning
Solomon, Job and Ruth where individuals who led lives with very tangible purposes. Solomon and Job where both successful and found purpose in accomplishment and wealth and Ruth through relationship and commitment. Siddhartha is somewhat unique in this category in that he at two distinctive points in life, makes something of a decision or commitment to avoiding tangible purposes and the kind of attachments such a life incurs in the pursuit of enlightenment and meaning. In the end this seems to have had some detrimental effects on his relationships, with his best friend Govinda his wife Kamala, his business partner Kamaswami and finally, perhaps the saddest of all his son. One could say that his purpose was the pursuit of enlightenment/meaning but his lack of investment in tangible purposes would have something of a sad detrimental effect on his most important relationships. Solomon gives us a fascinating insight into the struggle between pursuing wisdom and trying to live out a life on the foundation of tangible purposes and the great successes that can follow. On the one hand he acknowledges; “I hated life, because all work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it meaningless a chasing after wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:17 also ) Yet, he also quickly counters; “A man can find nothing better to do than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work”. (2:24, ) The balance between what seems to be two opposing perspectives is this, enjoy life, its pleasures, work hard, which is much better than doing nothing. However, understand that no matter how well we do these things no matter how great our success, we must remember that in the end it will not guarantee that we have lived a life lived with meaning.
II - Understanding wealth/material possessions & pleasure
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Secondly, wealth/material possessions or pleasure, did not control their sense of purpose or deter them from their pursuit of meaning. Job loses all his possessions to misfortune, but is restored to prosperity after much suffering and loss. (Job) Solomon though being wealthy all the days of his life, denies the capability of possessions to provide meaning. (Ecclesiastes) Siddhartha denies material possessions, pleasure and certain path of success twice in life, in preference to a pursuit of enlightenment & meaning, only to become disillusioned again. Ruth, accepts almost certain poverty and possible starvation, but, through loyalty, perseverance and commitment in her relationship to her mother in law Naomi. What we can glean from the stories of Solomon, Job and Ruth is that wealth and pleasures are not wrong, but wealth and pleasures will not lead to a life of meaning. The story of Siddhartha confirms this truth beginning with the assumption that wealth & pleasure are very much opposed to enlightenment only to find that there is much more to meaning than self-denial. If we take these lives as examples for what our attitudes should be concerning material possessions, wealth or possessions there is something of a clear model to base our pursuit of meaning on. One could pursue material possessions/wealth or even enjoy the fundamental pleasures of that life gives, so long as we do not expect that they will not ultimately result in a sense of meaning.
III - An understanding of revelation of the immensity of reality and our insignificance
Most humans go through life without even a remote concept of just how large the cosmos is, its age, or the intricacy of its profound design. It is something of an odd paradox but very often, the closer we come to our insignificance in the enormity of creation, the more we are confronted with a need for meaning. Job, Siddhartha and Solomon all, in different ways had something of an epiphany or a revelation concerning the nature of creation and their relationship to it. They in their pursuit of meaning would eventually be confronted by something of an overwhelming realization that meaning is much larger than we are and beyond our most ambitious reach. Meaning is largely contextualized in a very broad perspective of those characteristics of reality we cannot control such as; the significance of time, our fragility in life & death, our lack of a real understanding into the intricacies and complexity or reality. Regardless if one believes in God or an omniscient creator, most contemplative souls will be eventually succumb to the immensity of creation and the wondrous intricacy of design. Wise souls are deeply humbled by what we refer to as reality.
For Siddhartha it is a discovery he has while sitting by the river, hearing the ‘sacred Om’ by the river. Just as the water of the river flows into the ocean and is returned by rain, all forms of life are interconnected in a cycle without beginning or end…. all (are) parts of the whole and are necessary to understand the meaning of life.” (http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/siddhartha/summary.html) From a modern scientific perspective we can question the notion that there is no beginning or end, as we now know that creation had a beginning 13.72 billion years ago, however, in regard to our significance in the grand scheme of things the assessment of the cycle of life certainly speaks to our insignificance.
King Solomon provides a somewhat nuanced approach to our role in nature and its implications for meaning. (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3) Solomon also tells us: W hat a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun'; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:13-14) The wisdom of Solomon suggests that though the nature of creation, what we perceive as reality has the character it does, our response is also very significant in how we shape our understanding of purpose and the pursuit of meaning regardless of the incomprehensible extent of it enormity. Solomon also like Siddhartha sees the grandeur exhibited in process. (Ecclesiastes 1:5-11)
Ruth is special, and very significant, in this group in that there is no record of her ever being confronted with her insignificance in the scope of the enormity of creation or her place in it. Rather, her notion of place in the grand scheme of things, is as I would suspect like most, experienced in the immediacy of human relationships. We see in her character and few words a soul that was willing to leave a cultural worldview of her own people the Moabites and learn the intricacies of a religion of a foreign people the Jews. (her knowledge of Levitical law) Ruth may or may not have thought deeply, about the meaninglessness of wealth, the mysteries of suffering, the futility of work, ambitious undertakings or enlightenment, rather, she through her character gave shape to leading a life that addressed all of these issues. More importantly she allowed her beliefs through commitment and loyalty to shape her character as well as her sense of purpose in life in the pursuit of meaning.
For Siddhartha it is a discovery he has while sitting by the river, hearing the ‘sacred Om’ by the river. Just as the water of the river flows into the ocean and is returned by rain, all forms of life are interconnected in a cycle without beginning or end…. all (are) parts of the whole and are necessary to understand the meaning of life.” (http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/siddhartha/summary.html) From a modern scientific perspective we can question the notion that there is no beginning or end, as we now know that creation had a beginning 13.72 billion years ago, however, in regard to our significance in the grand scheme of things the assessment of the cycle of life certainly speaks to our insignificance.
King Solomon provides a somewhat nuanced approach to our role in nature and its implications for meaning. (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3) Solomon also tells us: W hat a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun'; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:13-14) The wisdom of Solomon suggests that though the nature of creation, what we perceive as reality has the character it does, our response is also very significant in how we shape our understanding of purpose and the pursuit of meaning regardless of the incomprehensible extent of it enormity. Solomon also like Siddhartha sees the grandeur exhibited in process. (Ecclesiastes 1:5-11)
Ruth is special, and very significant, in this group in that there is no record of her ever being confronted with her insignificance in the scope of the enormity of creation or her place in it. Rather, her notion of place in the grand scheme of things, is as I would suspect like most, experienced in the immediacy of human relationships. We see in her character and few words a soul that was willing to leave a cultural worldview of her own people the Moabites and learn the intricacies of a religion of a foreign people the Jews. (her knowledge of Levitical law) Ruth may or may not have thought deeply, about the meaninglessness of wealth, the mysteries of suffering, the futility of work, ambitious undertakings or enlightenment, rather, she through her character gave shape to leading a life that addressed all of these issues. More importantly she allowed her beliefs through commitment and loyalty to shape her character as well as her sense of purpose in life in the pursuit of meaning.
IV – The pursuit of knowledge, enlightenment, purpose & righteousness, does not guarantee meaning
This returns us to where we began our discussion with the problem of the question of meaning. It is a subject that has been deeply problematic not only for the world’s ‘enlightened’ religious thinkers, it has baffled the most respected philosophical minds as well. In fact, until recently, it has been a question very much avoided by philosophy. An important premise of what we are discussing here in Meaning Tree is the notion that though purpose in life can be addressed and improved on intellectually as well as in having a strategy for living, meaning requires something of a transcendent perspective as well as a deeper relational context. Thus just wisdom, being really smart, or even personal enlightenment do not guarantee a coming to terms with meaning. Let us consider how this is exemplified in the lives of Solomon, Job, Ruth and Siddhartha.
When we think about it carefully what good is knowledge, purpose or even good character other than its ability to make the quality of life before death better? Many become confused in the years of life thinking that they are the meaning of life itself. An example of how the futility of knowledge, purpose or even enlightenment is clearly exhibited in the life of Job. It is likewise the process by which, I suspect most of us come to realize how inadequate our knowledge, purposes or even our goodness of character has little power. Think about the stories we heard about in which an individual is diagnosed with a terminal illness, or someone loses a person very close or when a relationship falls suddenly crumbles. These are the times in life when there is no argument wise enough to change the course of history. Have you ever heard anyone say, “what did I do to deserve this?” That is exactly what Job argued with his friends. Yet, knowing that no amount of righteousness, knowledge or enlightenment will save him. I casts himself upon his creator, hoping for a defender and the possibility that his life will not be meaningless.
When we think about it carefully what good is knowledge, purpose or even good character other than its ability to make the quality of life before death better? Many become confused in the years of life thinking that they are the meaning of life itself. An example of how the futility of knowledge, purpose or even enlightenment is clearly exhibited in the life of Job. It is likewise the process by which, I suspect most of us come to realize how inadequate our knowledge, purposes or even our goodness of character has little power. Think about the stories we heard about in which an individual is diagnosed with a terminal illness, or someone loses a person very close or when a relationship falls suddenly crumbles. These are the times in life when there is no argument wise enough to change the course of history. Have you ever heard anyone say, “what did I do to deserve this?” That is exactly what Job argued with his friends. Yet, knowing that no amount of righteousness, knowledge or enlightenment will save him. I casts himself upon his creator, hoping for a defender and the possibility that his life will not be meaningless.