416. How To Have A Meaningful Life

I once heard a well-known author and psychologist, Jordan Peterson, saying, “I’m not a materialist anymore. Because I don’t believe that the world is made of matter, but what matters: It is made up of meaning.” This statement is more profound than many assume because it reflects the very reality of the world that we are living in.

More and more, science confirms that the world is made of “information.” If you break down every matter, even after atom and electron, what you get is “information.” Our physical body is made up of DNA, which is a wonderfully complex set of information, carefully and masterfully weaved together in a precise sequence. That is why before we talk about the origin of this world, we must seek to find the origin of information if we want to find meaning in our lives.

But we find the answer in the appearance of Jesus. John tells us, “In the beginning, there was word, and the word was God, and the word was with God.” (John 1:1) In Greek, “word” is “Logos,” which means principle, wisdom and meaning. John points straight to “logos” as the origin of all things before the beginning of this world. Of course, this Logos refers to Jesus, the word of God that became flesh and dwelt among people.

It not only answers our question of where “information” originated from but also “gives” meaning to our current reality because that meaning didn’t just exist outside our world but entered our world in a way that allowed an understanding of the meaning through a relationship with the person named Jesus.

Believing in Jesus is not just consenting to some beliefs about Jesus but reorienting our lives and perspective of life based on what he “said.” Based on Apostle John’s narrative, the Word of God constitutes the fabric of our very being, constantly reminding us how our lives should be. If Jesus is the “Logos,” then he is the very meaning of our lives from whom we were created, pointing and directing us into the “meaning-full” life we so yearn for. That is why the love for the “Word” leads us closer to a meaningful life and gaining a better sense of what actually “matters.”