The Search for Personal Significance

In May, I started a summer sermon series on “Old Testament Characters.” We are studying characters from the Old Testament that made a significant impact on people thousands of years ago. Deep inside most of us is a desire that our lives be like these Old Testament characters. We long to be significant and remembered long after we pass away from this world. How do we make our lives meaningful? How do we satisfy our search for significance?
A few years ago, a newspaper editorialist in the New York Times was writing on the subject of America's escalating fascination with book writing, the author made an interesting comment. "The search for personal significance," he explains, "was once nicely taken care of by the drama that religion supplied. This drama, which lived in every human breast, no matter what one's social class, was that of salvation: Would one achieve heaven or not? Now that it is gone from so many lives, in place of salvation we have the search for significance, a much trickier business.”
As Christianity has declined in Western Civilization as a provider of significance, humanity is left searching for other sources of significance other than God. This is nothing new. The desire to make a name for oneself is as old as the Garden of Eden. In the Garden of Eden, we see human arrogance that seeks the godlike characteristic of defining good and evil. We see the human mind refusing to allow God to be God because of the desire to be as God ourselves. We see the heart that seeks distinction and significance apart from the true Source of significance. All of us, if we are honest, we see ourselves in Adam and Eve.
Jesus said in Luke 9:24, "Whoever loses his life for me will save it." Jesus’ words are the key for the life searching for significance. Knowing who we are and what we need is the starting point of what we will become. He is the One in whom our lives find their greatest significance because He is the only One who accepts who we are and offers us purpose and meaning in life.
In the book of Hebrews, Jesus is described as the author and finisher of our faith (12:2). Ultimate significance is not found in making a name for ourselves, but in being written into the story of God. That is what Christ offers, a chance to take an active part in the adventure of the unfolding story of God’s work on earth.
Why do we still remember and study these characters from the Old Testament thousands of years later? Because despite the shortcomings they share with us, they made a choice to follow and obey God with all their hearts. God was able to use them to do incredible things. And as a result, we remember them even today.
Are you feeling insignificant today? Do you feel that your life as it is will have little or no impact on the course of human history? God invites you to change that today! How? By sharing the Good News about Jesus Christ with others. Remember, if God uses you to lead one soul to Him, their eternal destiny will have changed! We can also change the impact of our lives by giving all of ourselves to Jesus Christ and focusing our lives on working for the eternal Kingdom of God. If we do this, we will find the significance we are searching for!