Basic HTML Version
Personal from...
Education for Life
1
s a man truly educated unless he knows
WHAT HE
IS?
A nd unless he knows
WHY
he is, whet her there is any
purpose or meaning to life, and what
that is? And unless he knows
where
]).e is
going in the end? And unless he knows the
true
values from the false and
THE
w
AY
to
such desired conditions as peace, happiness,
prosperit y and the enjoyable, pleasant and
int-eresting
life?
Right now many high school sen iors are
facing the problem of whether to go on to
college-and if so,
which
college.
If
1 were a young man or young woman facing
that question, l'm very sure-knowing 'what I
know now- that I would want to know
which
college or university teaches these tbings. I'm
sure l'd want to attend the school of higher
learning which would teach me not merely how
to earn a living-pardon me,
T
mean an
existence-but
the one which would teach me
HOW TO
L ! VE!
Did you ever wonder why it is that nearly
everybody wants to Iive a life that is pleasing,
enjoyable, interesting- without boredom, aches,
pains, suffering or unpleasant environments or
circumstances? And yet, nearly everyone
experiences a
HUNGER
for something that will
really
SATISFY;
and yet, somehow, he never finds
it except at brief intervals that never seem to
las
t.
When this Work of God was only about two years
under way-or three- in Eugene, Oregon, and I
was, most of the time, preaching in evangelistic
campaigns about six nights a week, broadcasting
every Sunday, editing and mimeographing
The Plain
Truth,
and counseling with scores of people, I found
the need of something relaxing-something to get
my mind for a little while off of these serious
problems and this driving activity. My wife Loma D.
January
1983
Armstrong and I found a total change, mentally, in
attending occasional basketball games at the
University of Oregon basketball pavilion, MacArthur
Court. At that time the University of Oregon had a
team of sophomore5 and one senior which looked
like a "comer."
And sure enough, in their senior year these boys
went on to win the first national championship--late
winter of 1939. That was the first year the National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) had a
national play-off leading to a national championship.
A.t such games one will see thousands being
thrilled by scintillating play. Are these basketball
fans enjoying life? lf you ask them, at the moment,
the answer might .be,
"You bet!"
Are they bored?
Not during tbe excitement of the game! Do they feel
a sort of mental, emotional or spiritual hunger? Not
during the thrill of the game.
But after the game- then what? Why, after the
game is over and the fans have gone borne, do they
experience a letdown- until the next game, or the
next experience of sorne pleasure?
1 got to wondering. After the game,
1
don't
experience any letdown.
1
don't have to suffer the
experience of
EMPTINESS,
boredom or this sort of
soul hunger-whatever it is-until the next exciting
entertainment. As a matter of fact, I find my life
interesting, invigorating, stimulating, satisfy.ing and
abundant
at al/ times!
It is tremendously exciting at
times. But it is
never
boring,
never
dull ,
never
d iscontented!
WHY?
What's the difference?
I know what's the difference. 1 want to tell you
what it is.
The answer is bound up in the questions I asked
at the beginning of this "Personal."
I have learned
WHAT
man JS!
_ I have learned that man was put on this earth
for
a
PURPOSE,
and I have learned what that
purpose /S! I have learned
HOW
to fulfill it. 1
have learned
WHAT
the
true
values are, and what
are the false. And I have learned the secret of a
full, abundant,
(Continued on page 41}