What We Really Need

Dan Kunz

For the past several months, I’ve been telling friends, family and acquaintances about Dr. Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist and writer.  I have become a huge fan lately and encourage others to check out his book, Twelve Rules for Life:  An Antidote for Chaos, his podcast, or his many interviews on YouTube.  He is uncommonly gifted with common sense and is a conservative voice for reason.  As far as I know, he doesn’t profess to be a Christian, but he certainly espouses many opinions which Christians hold and quotes the Bible quite often in his speaking and writing.  Because he says many things which ring true for Christians and verbalizes some of the same beliefs which Christians share, I think we can take away some important concepts from his viewpoint.

For example, in Twelve Rules for Life, Peterson states, “All people serve their ambition.  In that matter, there are no atheists.  There are only people who know, and don’t know, what God they serve.”  As Christians you and I know we serve the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Our “ambition” is to glorify God through our thoughts, words, and actions.  Our “ambition” is to spread the Good News of God’s plan of salvation with as many people as possible.  Our “ambition” is to hold fast to Jesus, as he holds fast to us, so that we may spend eternity with him in heaven. Philippians 1:6 I am convinced of this very thing: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

The famous 17th Century philosopher, Blaise Pascal, once said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum (hole) in the heart of each man, which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ.”  Man innately knows God belongs in that hole, but, when he refuses to put God there, must fill it with something else.  That, I believe, is what Jordan Peterson meant.  Even an atheist must put his “faith” in something.  It might be power.  It might be wealth.  It might be pleasure.  “All people serve their ambition.”  We know who we serve and do so willingly and gladly.  Even if someone doesn’t know who they serve, they still serve him, her, or it.  It’s like a person who says, “I know I’m hungry, but I don’t know what I’m hungry for.”  You can bet they’ll eat something, even if they can’t determine what it is they’d really like to have.

How can we help?  If you find someone who seems to be searching, don’t necessarily tell them what you think they need.  Instead, share with them that you, too, once felt unfulfilled, wandering, adrift.  Maybe you even tried to fill the void with something other than God, too.  Most importantly, share with them what finally filled the void, quenched your thirst, and calmed your troubled heart – Jesus.  Next, and maybe just as important, offer to be their guide.  Don’t just give them the map, take the journey with them.  Teach them.  Encourage them.  Direct them.  When they reach their destination, as you do, it will be a day even the angels will celebrate.