The Pursuit of Happiness
All Harry Rasmussen wanted was to be happy. Like everybody else in the world he wanted to live a good life and enjoy himself. So he stripped down to his boxers, painted himself blue and went downtown for the afternoon. At the barber shop he got his head shaved. His bald white scalp gleamed in the sunlight, adding a nice touch to his otherwise blue persona. As he headed home for the evening, he said to himself, “This is the good life, and I’m livin’ it!”
Everybody wants to be happy, though they sometimes pursue it in odd ways. Even the man who kills himself does so because he thinks death is better than life—he’s trying to be happy. The pursuit of happiness is not wrong in itself; it’s basic to our nature. We will pursue happiness. The question is whether we will pursue happiness in a way that attains the desired end. It is possible to pursue happiness in a way that assures you will not attain it. How many schoolboys, desiring the affections of a cute girl, are bewildered to find that pulling her hair and tripping her doesn't attain the intended results? Though we see this childish folly immediately, many adults pursue happiness in ways just as foolish. They ignore God and can’t figure out why their sin causes so much grief. Even in their misery, they refuse to see that following Christ is the path to joy. So they try something new…maybe some blue paint. The reality is that every word of the Bible directs us in the way of true and lasting happiness. The Ten Commandments are a perfect example. Life really is better when Dads are faithful to Moms. Adultery ruins lives. We enjoy relationships much more when people don’t try to kill us. If children honored their parents, would that be so bad? Can you imagine a culture where everyone took one day out of seven to worship, rest, and feast (Lev.23:1-3)? Life is just better when people obey God. God has filled the world with all kinds of good things, but these gifts must be enjoyed on God’s terms. Water is good but trying to breathe it will drown you. Sex is good, but outside the bounds of marriage, it destroys. The Lord of heaven invented sex, and He tells us the way to enjoy it—in the arms of a loving wife (Proverbs 5:18-19). Sexual immorality, on the other hand, is incredibly self-destructive (1 Corinthians 6:18), reducing us to the level of beasts. God’s gifts must be used in God’s way, lest we create all kinds of misery. I don’t allow my young children to play in the busy road in front of our home, but this is not because I want to spoil their fun. I believe three-dimensional children have more fun. Don’t be deceived into thinking God’s commands are given to ruin your life. It is in obedience to Christ that you find the good life.