Good Life/Good Death

This Page is a continuation of the Junior entry for this date a year ago.  The emphasis there is on altruism, especially related to human (natural) benefits identified in the meaning of persons – to serve others.  It was built into the nature of mankind by God and functions unless the person chooses to overcome inclination (beginning in childhood).  It is always present, but may be effectively muffled.  A gentleman noting my interest in my father-in-law and his wife surprised me when he said that he would like to think that if he had the opportunity he would like to believe that he would offer the attention to his parents that he saw in this exchange with my wife’s parents.  The implication was that he had not, when the opportunity was available, and that he now felt sorry about the omission.  It is out of both experience and study of the meaning of altruism and happiness (inspired in my thought life and conduct through Scripture) that I agree with those who believe the open secret for gaining true happiness is in service to others.  I am convinced that God, having everything from the beginning, accepts service to others (his creation) as service to him.  To serve others honors God, even when we deny there is a God to thank for our own lives.  Human life, unlike any other context of life in the universe we know about, has something of God in it even if we are adamant about any disbelief we may hold, perhaps sternly hold, with some anger at God for not being.

Happiness is, in the mind of Americans, something they pursue.  Thomas Jefferson said so in the Declaration of Independence – so it must be true.  I believe that seeking may be the procedure of choice, but it is not through seeking it that we achieve it.  Happiness is a byproduct of serving others than ourselves of the human context.  I have recently heard persons close to ecstasy in talking about the recovery of persons they have helped, and that without any thought of reward.  The love they discover emanating from others who have a need met, sometimes a need they can’t meet related to someone else, especially for their children, creates a feeling of happiness relating to the deed or deeds, even if the need arises again later. The servant discovers his or her own happiness and love in doing the deed, not counting (regretting) the cost. Many years ago, in a study on comparative religions I learned there are some universal ideals of human belief and conduct in nearly all modern religions.  One of these is serving others.  All included love and concern for others that leads to fulfilment.  The Dalai Lama, exiled from Tibet, even after decades away from his people repeats the point of happiness for all as something that is within to be released by the process advanced by his faith.  His people are to find happiness even in the face of invaders.  Islam teaches the concept of charity as a major doctrine, to be done without any ostentation, to fulfill the concepts of that faith.  Buddhism is a philosophy that is treated like a religion, holds also to the concept that one follows through with a lifestyle of peace that draws on meditation – a process used more and more in the west by secular persons seeking the happiness of the discovery of their own resources.  The meditation of Christians is born by prayer, Scripture, and devotion so to find a divine source for direction in practice.

It is likely that Christian happiness relates also to the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  The Apostle Paul refers to that fruit in Galatians 5:22 – The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.  The list is not exhaustive here.  The reader senses this in following the uses of the word fruit in the New Testament.  Further, we sometimes are given the invitation to expand lists that are not seen as exhausting meaning.  The Apostle carries concepts along in a magnificent passage – Philippians 4:6-20.  One of the most magnificent contributions of the Apostle was to accent that our lives are focused from that which is within the individual, created by God and reinforced by the Spirit of God for those seeking aid to be all that they were intended to be and do.  Persons of faith who have lived that life context are unshaken relative to the reality of it in all circumstances.  One analogy is that God’s children may dwell in the cleft of the rock so to survive life dangers, emerging in the rising of the sun and calm so to fly upward with a song sensing the safety of divine grace.  We well know the graces of God – divine and common.