Love is the Meaning of Life - Why Let all the Other Stuff Get in the Way?!

Love is the meaning of life. The primary of aim of all humans is to be loved and to love. Why then do so many people let the other stuff, the distractions, interfere and often dominate their lives?

Most people would believe this to be an instrinsic part of life - you are born with it. You are born to love and be loved. That people living a balanced life, where they are loved  and loved others within their family and friendship circle, truly appreciate this message. Once this message is appreciated and lived then it is the normal thing to do when relating with others and the world.

However, somewhere along the way, many get distracted for so many reasons and then lose that true focus. This transfer of priorities may even occur in early to mid-childhood, where parents or other significant adults or people within the young person's life, live an alternate distructive lifestyle, which is seen by the young person as the norm, and hence worthy of following (even if subconsciously). This then becomes the accepted lifestyle as they grow up.

The human frailities of greed, selfishness, envy, failure to forgive and be forgiven, lust, gluttony, etc, come to the for and seductively entice people to follow this distractive and destructive pathway.

People may then follow this pathway until challenged to do otherwise. Challenged to see the destructiveness of these chosen ways, challenged to confront the situation they find to be wrong, challenged to become a better more loving person. This challenge often comes at a time of complete lowness / lonliness within their lives.

To love and to be loved is the meaning of life. It is the primary and quite raw need within all people. It is not only a basic emotional and social need of each person but it is also the main spiritual desire and need.

The 'Love is the Meaning of Life - Why Let all the Other Stuff Get in the Way?!' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author of Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed), 2010, with copyright being retained by SMAPL.