“For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8 HCSB).
Gene Roddenberry was a prolific television screenwriter who is best known as the creator of Star Trek, the multi-media franchise that has attracted untold numbers of devotees throughout the world. As Roddenberry transitioned from a career in law enforcement to his new profession as a full-time screenwriter, he exchanged a series of letters with a friend named Erle Stanley Gardner.
Gardner had gained widespread recognition as the creator of Perry Mason, the renowned fictional attorney, and served as a mentor for the aspiring dramatist. In one of his letters to Gardner, Roddenberry accurately captured the aspirations of many in life: “He talked of the important things in life — ‘freedom to create, explore, travel, plus a comfortable income and some [professional] challenge.'” (1)
Undoubtedly, those ambitions are all that many seek to achieve in life. But any such objective that neglects to factor God into the daily equation of life may hold little or no significance beyond the confines of our earthly existence.
These considerations are important, for no reasonable person seeks to live a meaningless life. The quest for a meaningful and purposeful life is something that resonates with virtually everyone, for every rational person wants his or her life to count for something. No sensible person wants to approach the end of his or her life with the following thought: “I’ve accomplished nothing with my life- I’ve done nothing that has produced anything of lasting value.”
That sentiment was held by Phillip III, king of France, who allegedly said at the end of his life, “What an account I shall have to give to God! How I should like to live otherwise than I have lived.” This reminds us that we can choose from among many ideologies and philosophies that allow us to entertain the illusory belief that we are pursuing “the important things in life.” But apart from Christianity, those avenues never really get us anywhere. In fact, the Bible devotes an entire book to that very subject.
So how can we ensure that our lives have lasting significance? One way to achieve that goal is by working to develop the characteristic qualities outlined in 2 Peter 1:5-7: knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. The more we do so, “…the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (NLT).
(1) Cushman, Marc. These Are the Voyages -TOS: Season One ©2013 Marc Cushman, Jacobs/Brown Press [pg. 8]