Conclusion

We do not live a life that is defined by the span between a birth and a death. We are here for a purpose. We have been created by our Creator. We are not accidents of evolution in a universe of night. We are here for a purpose. We have been made by the Creator for the purpose of bearing the fruits of righteousness; we are branches in the vineyard of God yielding fruits of righteousness. We are making honor, truth, kindness, wisdom, faith, love…

We are creating value.

If what we create is to be significant, righteousness has to be a choice. It is a choice to do right in the face of trials and temptations. The choices that we make during this life define us. Our choices are who we are. God creates us. But out choices create who we are. It is ultimately our choice to be conformed to the image of Christ or the image of the world.

He places us in an environment of adversities where He does not impose His will on us. He gives us an even playing field. He creates a world where righteous choices mean something because they can be difficult. He places us in a world where we make a lifetime of choices each of which is morally right or morally wrong or morally neutral, and we live with the consequences.

He places us in an environment where He does not impose Himself on us because He has created us to love. He has created us to love because He is love.1 And, exactly like righteousness, love requires a background where one can choose. There must be a predicate that renders love to be significant. It was once said by a man of great faith that cheap love is worthless.2 He was right.

In the end, when each of us must face the prospect of an eternity of endless death or endless life, we look back over our years and see that all of life has fashioned us. What we did with all of the good and all of the bad, all of the ecstasies and all of the pain, whatever it was, has made us who we are. God created us in His image and that creation did not end when we were born. It had just begun.