To be honest, it wasn't the most inspiring or coherent piece of work I'd ever seen, but it was an intriguing premise. The filmaker, after leaving a career in the fashion photography world, decided to do a project exploring the third of Jefferson's "trinity of values:" the pursuit of happiness. Life and liberty are pretty self-explanatory, but what do people believe about our "right" to be happy in America?
The movie shared several interesting facts. One was on the entymology of the word itself. Happiness, it explained, comes from the word hap, which means chance or fortune. In other words, we are supposed to be pursuing what comes down to luck. Circumstances. The roll of the dice. Things falling into place so that we suddenly have what we want.
They also explained that this idea of "favor" or "good circumstances=good life" has been and is manipulated over and over again for economic gain.
The most interesting story was that of Alfred P. Sloan, the CEO of General Motors at the time when the Model T was hugely popular. Up until his arrival on the scene, Ford Motor Co. had been operating on the assumption that you would buy an automobile and that it would last you for decades. Sloan's success came when he capitalized on the circumstantial nature of happiness. He began marketing a new model of car each year in order to make people unhappy with the car they already owned. His plan was brilliant, and he became a major competitor to Ford.
So what does this all mean for us, I thought. As a follower of Jesus, does happiness fit in with the life I am called to lead?
I've come to the decision that happiness, the kind that is tied to luck, tied to new purchases and the latest must-have invention is devoid of meaning. That was easy. What was harder for me to realize is that the pursuit of conditions conducive to happiness is also an empty path, one I often find myself wandering.
Whether my husband is perfect, my house is clean, my dinner is beautiful, my health is superb, I am called to choose joy and thanksgiving and living like Jesus instead of chasing happiness.
I am called to the pursuit of holiness, the state of being set apart for sacred use by a powerful God. My goal should be to be more like Jesus, more a part of the loving and healing of others -- goals that may or may not involve happiness at the time. Patrick and I joke about this whenever he acts out his role as godly husband and calls me out on a choice I shouldn't be making or an attitude I shouldn't be entertaining. I'll say, "Good thing you're called to make me holy, not happy." Happiness is not my end goal.
I feel like I got a better understand of the whole issue today when I searched, "happiness" in the Bible. I wanted to see if it was there at all, and if it was, how were to relate to it. There were only six references. Only two places explained how we get happiness.
The first was in Ecclesiastes: "To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness..." (Ecclesiastes 2:26).
The second was in Matthew, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’" (Matthew 25:21/23).
It seems like pursuing happiness is none of my concern (Sorry, Jefferson).My concern needs to be pleasing God (holiness) and being faithful with the tasks, talents, relationships, and responsibilties he has given me now. He will give happiness and invite me to share in His. May He give you happiness, dear friends, as you pursue His (and that of His beautiful people) today.
(picture by By Camdiluv ♥ from Concepción, CHILE (Colours) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)
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