Professor Clay Jones shares the following great insight:
“That’s one reason why the godless so often champion political, environmental, and social movements: they need to be a part of something larger than themselves—something meaningful beyond their soon-to-be-eaten-by-worms existence. Although there’s nothing wrong, in itself, with political, environmental, and social movements, or with watching television, listening to music, surfing the net, or reading a book, but most people use them to drown out the bell that tolls for them.”1
I can relate to this so well. Before I was a Christian I was an atheist, or as Professor Jones would refer to me – godless. To the outsider I had everything going for me. I had a great job, was making good money but inwardly I had no real meaning. So, what did I do, I got involved in a social cause working in a community center for emotionally disturbed individuals. I did this “good” work every week for about six months to try to fill this void in my life – I was searching for meaning.
Little did I realize back then that this good work was motivated more out of my need to find meaning in my life than really helping out those who benefitted from my service. Did I find the meaning I was looking for? No! What I did find was more despair since first, my motivation was basically selfish – I did it to benefit me more than those I helped, and second, this good work really didn’t give me the real meaning I was looking for.
At the time I didn’t realize the absolute truth in what the great French mathematician Blaise Pascal said hundreds of years ago (and I am paraphrasing) – Every man is born with a spiritual vacuum that only Jesus Christ can fill. I was trying to fill my vacuum with good works and I only created a bigger vacuum since I never really found what I was looking for.
Now as a Christian everything has radically changed. I still do good works but the motivation has changed so much. I now do good things not because I am looking for meaning, since Jesus gives me all the meaning I am looking for, but I do them as an overflow of the blessings I have received in knowing Christ. Before I became a Christian the motivation for my good works was me, first. Now as a Christian I do my good works as a byproduct of the joy in my heart. Championing social causes without Christ in one’s life will only lead to depression. But championing social causes with Christ in one’s life will lead to true joy!