“The world says ‘you can be anything’, but God does not want you to be ‘anything’, He created you to be ’something’.” — J. R. Miller
At the top right corner of my blog, readers will notice a new quote from me appears on every new page. Most of these quotes come from my posts and there is a context for understanding them. However, one of my readers recently asked about the above quote which had no further context on my blog. So for Melody, and everyone else who is interested, here is the short answer to what it means.
A Play On Words
First, the quote relies on an old speakers trick of creating play on words to grab attention. Years ago when I was a pastor to teenagers, I found this particular turn of phrase very helpful in getting kids to listen… apparently it still works.
Practically Speaking
When most people tell a kid, “you can be anything you want in life” I understand what they are driving at. They are attempting to encourage a kid to work hard and dream big. The goal is admirable, but impractical. The phrase is not helpful because no person is equipped to be “anything” they want in life. Take my own life as an example. I was born with a neurological condition that inhibits my eyesight. Consequently, I am nearsighted and my depth perception is not the best. One sport I was never good at was baseball. Standing in the outfield looking into the sky for that little white ball was an impossible task and if I did happen to see it, chances are the ball was close enough to hit me in the head before I could catch it. Now imagine I had a childhood dream of playing in the Big Leagues and some well meaning adult told me, “go for it Joe, you can be anything you want to be.” Would that have been true? No. Maybe it would make the adult feel good, but it would have only lead me down a path of discouragement and failure. I call it the “American Idol Syndrome” Watch the show sometime. The show is full of delusional people who were told by well meaning adults, “you can be a star.” Filled with dreams and no talent, people come and audition. They walk off the set rejected, humiliated and cursing the judges. Parents and friends keep feeding their “be anything” delusions—yet in truth no one person can be “anything”. Success in this life is realizing your options are limited, finding something you are good at and then becoming something that is suited with your natural abilities.
Spiritually Speaking
Beyond the practical aspects, I think the message of “you can be anything” leads to spiritual emptiness. The message itself assumes there is no plan or purpose in life beyond the meaning each person can give it through personal accomplishment. When a teenager struggles to fulfill their dreams, they begin to experience the emptiness of the “anything” life. On the other hand, the Bible gives an alternative picture of the “something” life. The Scriptures tell us that God created each one of us for a purpose. He has a plan for us. He created us with natural talents and gifts so that we could be something and do something with our lives. When we live in accordance with that “something”, we experience real joy and satisfaction in life.
In brief, this is why I discourage people from trying to be “anything” and challenge them to discover God and be the “something” He has created them to be.
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I just watched the movie “Surrogates” and was conjuring up a post of my own that was going to hit on some of these points.
Way to steal my thunder.
“On the other hand, the Bible gives an alternative picture of the “something” life. The Scriptures tell us that God created each one of us for a purpose. He has a plan for us. He created us with natural talents and gifts so that we could be something and do something with our lives. When we live in accordance with that “something”, we experience real joy and satisfaction in life.”
Joe, do you think God created every single person to have a high an noble calling? I think of the starving kids I worked with in Africa. I knew that many of them would die a very painful death due to where they were born and the lack of food. I think of Romans 9 where God creates SOME for noble purposes and others to be examples of God’s judgment (like pharaoh). Then I get depressed thinking about it and the old existentialist belief which you articulated “life has no meaning except for that which you give it” seems better than “you are one of the ones God has raised up to not have enough food and to starve so that other Christians will have an outlet for grace.”
Hi Don, thanks for the questions.
You wrote, “Joe, do you think God created every single person to have a high an noble calling?”
Absolutely, yes. That calling, which I did not outline in the blog post, begins with 2 simple concepts. 1. all life was created with inherent value regardless of wealth or infirmity. 2. for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son so whoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting life.
You wrote, “I think of the starving kids I worked with in Africa. I knew that many of them would die a very painful death due to where they were born and the lack of food. I think of Romans 9 where God creates SOME for noble purposes and others to be examples of God’s judgment (like pharaoh)”
Trying to apply Romans 9 to the context of poverty makes no sense. That passage has a specific context that has nothing to do with poverty or starvation.
You wrote, “Then I get depressed thinking about it and the old existentialist belief which you articulated “life has no meaning except for that which you give it” seems better than “you are one of the ones God has raised up to not have enough food and to starve so that other Christians will have an outlet for grace.”
Then allow me to lift your depression by giving you another choice since both of the ones you outline are quite depressing. Your second option demonstrates are rather sick view of God thinking he created poverty and starves children just to show his goodness. Poverty is a result of sin (see my post on Haiti for example). Children in Africa are starving because evil warlards hoard the food sent by relief agencies and they savage the land killing and destroying all who oppose them. God did not create poverty so Christians could have an outlet for good works. I would suggest to you that God created Christians to do good works because of the existence of poverty.
Joe, Romans 9 clearly teaches that God creates some people for honorable or noble purposes and others for common or less noble purposes.
21Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?
It clearly teaches that Pharaoh was raised up so God might demonstrate his power.
17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “(AI)FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” (caps in text.)
You are suggesting that God creates everyone for a high and noble calling and I don’t see the Bible supporting that belief. And I don’t see evidence for that belief in real life. Are you suggesting that God has called tens of millions of starving people individually to a noble purpose but that this noble purpose is not realized due to a few evil warlords withholding food? So the prayers of millions of Christians on behalf of these starving people do not get acted upon because of the power of these evil warlords? Why? Is the free will of these warlords more important to God than the lives of millions of Christians who call upon Him daily for physical survival?
If God’s calling on someone is dependent upon not being interfered with from an “evil” person, then the idea of everyone on the planet having a noble calling is just an exercise in philosophy with no functional reality as there will always be evil people interfering.
Hi Don,
You wrote, “Joe, Romans 9 clearly teaches that God creates some people for honorable or noble purposes and others for common or less noble purposes.”
I disagree with what you interpret as “clearly” taught in Romans 9. This format of communication is far to limited to debate it, but in short I believe Romans 9 is primarily about the Nation of Israel being chosen above other nations and how individuals, representing those nations, were used by God, yet still responsible for their own choices to sin or rebel. Let’s talk soon and discuss this some more brother.
If anything, the context for Romans 9 is that while Israel is blessed as a Nation under the Old Covenant the blessing of Christ is offered to all people of all nations as individuals. What I am suggesting than Don is that the great and high call of God comes through Jesus Christ’s offer of salvation from sin along with a restored relationship and eternal life with the Father.
I’m sure if we were to chat, we would probably agree.