I found this graphic online yesterday and I noted two things: One, the immediate seductive attraction, the desire to say, “Yes! This is it!”, and, two, following right on the heels of the first feeling, the onset of suspicion.

Certainly one can examine this in detail and find nothing inherently ‘wrong’ with it. It certainly makes logical sense and the definitions seem to match up. It’s when we examine the little word, “Purpose”, that the structure starts to look shaky.

Sure, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to do something we’re good at and enjoy doing, something that is helping others, AND that we would be paid for (presumably, more than a pittance)? Well, heck. I don’t know anyone who would turn that down.

However, we can examine this in two ways.

The first is to look at it from a rather secular point of view. How many people are living where the little blue star is? Probably one in several million. Somehow I doubt that that’s because the rest of the masses somehow are idiots or fools. How many people are chasing that star? I would venture to say a whole lot, not to say nearly everyone. So if nearly everyone wants to be there and yet almost no one is, maybe we should question the destination rather than the abilities of those searching for it.

The second way to look at it is to check how important each of the four categories is. If you are engaged in work that is important, that you have an aptitude for, and that you find pleasure in, but are not paid for it, should you give it up? What about being a stay-at-home parent? Conversely, what about the working parent who has a job that he/she is paid for, and is good at, but perhaps does not exactly love and doesn’t fit some vague definition of “important to the world”? In a more immediate sense that job is important for supporting the family and that knowledge should bring some satisfaction.

The real problem comes when one “chases the star” and never arrives. Then the star is a mocking source of dissatisfaction and discontent, a self-imposed reason for despair and restlessness. Always out of reach, the star twinkles away while the person ignores and tramples the world around him, trying, and always failing, to grab it.

Better is to follow old adages such as “bloom where you’re planted” and “love the one you’re with”. Our purpose in life is God-given and should be oriented toward Him, not toward some illusory little blue star. If we are always looking toward God then we will find contentment no matter what our situation in life.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.   [Matt 6:33]