Choice, Purpose, and the Significance in Between

I love the Matrix. I love the epic battle between Agent Smith and Neo. I love the questions it raises about purpose, choice, destiny, free will and significance.

Agent Smith:

"It is purpose that created us, purpose that connects us, purpose that pulls us, that guides us, that drives us, that binds us, it is purpose that defines us."

I'm a big fan of living life on purpose. Not letting life slip by while wondering where it's going, but doing everything with intentionality and meaning. When your life has purpose, you can find great value and peace in anything, even doing nothing. You can easily let the little things go while working harder than you thought possible for that which really matters.

I believe the very reason we exist, why you were born and breathing right now, is wrapped up in our individual and collective destinies, the plans created by God for each of us.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

But it's not just about purpose, is it? Predestination vs. freewill is probably one of the longest running arguments since the created tried to understand its relationship with the Creator. Our bodies are created to be healthy, but we can still choose to destroy them with the food we eat and the exercise we neglect. The choices we make define our reality on a moment by moment basis.

Neo:

"Choice. The problem is choice."

I love the Matrix because the battle between choice and purpose is explored on an epic scale without a clear, obvious winner (did Neo really have choices?). The answer, what I believe to be a life of true significance, is somewhere in between. God has great plans for you, but you have to make the right choices and do the work to see those plans fulfilled.

Ephesians 2:10

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Deuteronomy 30:19

"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." 

Please, don't wake up tomorrow and find out you're 80 years old and you don't know what your life was about. Don't just live life, but choose life. Choose to seek out your purpose and live it as best you can.

While you're at it... keep this in mind: Your purpose may not be what you think. You may not be the next music star, the next big company owner, or the next world-changing worker of your craft. It might be something far more obscure. It might be being a mom to your child, a husband to your wife or a friend to your neighbor. We only see glimpses of the Architect's plans, and we tend to get those confused anyway. He's got a plan that is perfect and only through relationship with Him can we begin to see its perfection. You only get one life. Make it significant.