What does it mean to be human, how did we
get here, and what is the essential meaning/purpose of life (if such exists)?
It is not everyday
that I stop to wonder how I got here, to this place in time, and what it means
to be human. If I were to be honest with myself, I would admit to having
wrestled quite a bit with my responses. It is natural to wonder where we as
humans came from, and at some point, we all ask ourselves what the meaning of
life is. Whether we are persuaded strictly by science or our faith is in a
higher power, we should be grounded in a belief that explains what we are doing
here on Earth and how we got here.
I
believe there are many facets contributing to the definition of ‘being
human.’ What separates us from other
warm-blooded mammals is that we have emotions, feelings, thoughts, and pains
(physically and emotionally). We can experience laughter through bellyaching
sounds, sorrow through tears, and anger through a nasty scowl or frown. These
alone are significant characteristics that classify us as part of the human
race. As well, we have a heartbeat. Humans make mistakes, have strengths and
weaknesses, and seek to find accepting relationships. We long for what we were
created for, which is community and love. I believe that these unique traits
are what make us human because other species do not display them as uniquely as
we do. My dog Luna is unable to laugh out loud or tell me what her strengths
and weaknesses are. She can love and be adorable, but I believe she was created
solely for me to love. This allows us as humans to distinguish ourselves easily
from other breathing creatures.
As an individual
who puts her faith in God, through the Christian religion, I am guided by
Biblical history when I answer the question as to how we got here. I believe
that the world and it’s universe was brought into existence approximately 5,000
years ago by God’s skillful hands. He created man and woman blameless and
sinless until man fell and brought down all of creation with him. It is now
that we live in a fallen and sinful world with a continuous fight between good
and evil. We all desire the good and pure life but cannot obtain perfection. I
believe that we are where we are today through history’s turn of events. If we
look historically at the past couple hundreds of years we see events that have bettered
and worsened our society. Slaves were freed, allowing the chance for better
lifestyles. There was the division of church and state, causing a major
separation of people. Martin Luther King Jr. started the movement that all
blacks and whites are to be treated as equals. Technology advanced. Jobs were
created and jobs have also diminished, such as factory work and hard physical
labor. And it is through these major historical events that our society has
been shaped and challenged. With each tick on the timeline came new challenges,
but only to strengthen us as the human race.
When asked what
the essential meaning of life is I can’t help but jump right into my faith and
what I believe as a Christian. The secular world tells us that we should strive
for and attain wealth, fame, and popularity. The ‘white picket fence’ life is
coveted because it represents completion and perfection. However, I believe we
as humans are here on Earth to serve a different purpose. And I believe what I
believe because of the strong personal relationship I have found in Christ
Jesus. Life can only have a meaning if we were created for a purpose. My
purpose, which I believe everyone to have been created for this purpose, is to
have a relationship with our Creator, God. We were designed to worship Him daily
in all that we do; this was His purpose in creating us and this is why He sent
His Son to die on the cross, so that we could live in His grace and forgiveness.
Humans were created to learn of God, commune with Him, spend time in His word,
and obey Him. I also believe, as written in scriptures, that we were created to
serve Him by serving others. It is through service and worship that we can
express the greater love that comes only from God.
In conclusion, I
believe we were intricately designed by God to have a heartbeat, a laugh, and a
smile. This allows us to separate ourselves as a human race based on
characteristics not known to other species. Historically, I believe that over
hundreds and hundreds of years our society has molded itself into what it is
today, for that is how we got to this place in time. The strength of specific
individuals, for example MLK Jr., has entitled us to more freedom as humans, and
it is with that freedom that we can serve our Creator, which is our sole purpose
and meaning in life.
