Living for Others

Law of Stewardship

Law of Emotional Choice

Law of Human Dignity

Law of Present- Moment Living

Law of Esprit

Law of Mindfulness

Law of Forgiveness 

Law of Unconditional Love

Law of Personal Peace

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Focus on Certain Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness:
Living a Life of Purpose
   (The Law of Life Mission)   

sermon from the pulpit of 
Christ Presbyterian Church                    
a center of faith for abundant living
The Reverend Clyde E. Griffith, pastor

I came across a new book that was published very recently. And, after reading it, I think it is destined to the best seller list and will be read by many many people from all walks of life. It is written by Greg Anderson. Greg Anderson is a cancer survivor and lives in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He is the founder of the Cancer Conquerors Foundation, and has written several books, including an international best-seller, The Cancer Conqueror. In 1984, Greg Anderson was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer and told that he had 30 days to live -- it was inoperable and untreatable. This book is not the story of his survival -- now 16 years -- but is a distillation of, in his words, "more than a decade of experience in the field of health enhancement and life enrichment into a set of basic laws that govern success and failure in the pursuit of total wellness."

He calls the book, 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness: Feel, Think, and Live Better Than You Ever Thought Possible.

As I read this book, I was struck by how much congruency were his "22 Laws of Wellness," with what I understand to be a primary message of our Gospel, and with much of what happens when we come together to worship, and with what happens when we put our faith into action. 
In the Gospel of John, we are told that Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life, and have it abundantly." Many of the stories of Jesus are about healing and teaching and pursuing "the good  life" of the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells the people of his time that there is a better way to live your life -- and if you would but do these things, your rewards will be great -- not only here and now, today and tomorrow, but forever and ever. The same message proclaimed through the stories of the Old Testament throughout historic times. The same message we proclaim here at Christ Church in Drexel Hill for our time.

Great numbers of people are going to be reading this book. You may hear someone talking about it. I am taken by the way he has organized the material and the examples Greg Anderson presents for what he calls "Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness". If you live your life according to these "Non-Negotiable Laws", he says, you will feel better, you will think better, you will live better than you ever thought possible.

Well, what he calls, non-negotiable laws, parallel certain Biblical principles. Because of the relevance of these principles to all of our lives -- regardless of our age -- I am developing sermons over the next several weeks to deal with some of these exciting topics for the way we live our lives.

So today, on this Labor Day weekend it is apropos to consider one of the non-negotiable laws of wellness Greg Anderson calls "The Law of Life Mission". And I call "Living A Life of Purpose". 
Conventional wisdom says, (you have heard it said, indeed, you may have said it yourself,) "If you have your health, you have everything." Well, he says, "Don't believe it! It's not so much that this old adage is wrong as that there is a higher truth. The Law of Life Mission states, "If you have a purpose, you have everything."

"Purpose." He writes, "Your life's mission. Your reason for existing. This law asks us to consider our great aim -- the work we have been brought on this earth to do.
"Everyone has a unique life mission," he goes on.
"There is for each and every person a perfect self-expression. This consists of the role he or she is to fill. Finding this self-expression is a task no one else can accomplish; it is something special to you and to me.... If we intend to experience total wellness, discovering and following our unique purpose is mandatory."

Now, just this past week, I came across another book that reports a research project funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. This study was conducted by a physician who had worked with terminal cancer patients during the sixties and seventies, and found them to be "more vital, more alive, and, yes, healthier than many of the students jogging  through the UCLA campus on their way to the health food store!" He began asking the question, "why?" "What's going on here?" How can people who by all counts are deathly sick, and yet go on to live life with such vitality and wellness and aliveness?

Well, this physician made a five year study of 53 people who have seemingly overcome severe health issues to now be recognized as some of the most highly successful people in the country -- all of whom who have been articulate in recognizing their health issues and have made a focused effort to maximize the time they have been given to live. Through a thorough analysis and indepth interviewing, the author has some startling and pertinent conclusions. (Sound Mind, Sound Body, Dr. Kenneth Pelletier.)

He writes, "Virtually ever individual in my research project is driven by a deep and abiding sense of purpose....This sense of purpose is like a guiding light that comes from within, from their innermost intuition. They feel they have a role to fulfill in the universe. This role is their life's true work, and their is no turning back. It is not their own egos that motivate them, but rather this personal mission to serve a greater cause." (109)

Over and over again, recent work in physical and mental health fields has proven that this "sense of purpose has been found to be a major influence upon psychological and physical health as well as actual life expectancy." (109) A series of studies in 1990 provide an intriguing suggestion that a deep-felt sense of purpose exerts a sufficiently powerful influence over body chemistry to even postpone inevitable death.
They call it the anniversary phenomenon.

You remember the often told story about Thomas Jefferson, who as he lay on his death bed, awoke and asked his doctor what day it was? The doctor replied, "July 3, 1826." And so it happened, that on the following day, July 4, the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United States, Thomas Jefferson gave up his grip on life and died. Well, a study of 1,919 Jewish men who died within three months of the important religious festival Passover, and of 1,288 elderly Chinese women who died within three months of the important Harvest Moon Festival, significantly affirmed of the anniversary phenomenon -- and provided real life evidence that "a strong sense of purpose and a firm commitment to a particular goal exerts a powerful influence upon human physiology." (110)

In his interviews of 53 highly successful people, the researcher found that "their physical health indeed reflected a sense of purpose." (110) He goes on to state, "Research has documented that purpose is beneficial to psychological health, in alleviating such conditions as depression and anxiety, and to physical health, in contributing to recover from heart attacks and cancer." And he continues, "It has also been shown that individuals who express their purpose in life through altruism are unusually healthy and recover more quickly and fully from both major and minor illnesses."(112)

So optimal health, this study concludes, does not so much depend on what you eat, or how you exercise, or what vitamins you take. 
No, optimal health involves "how connected you are to other people", 
"how you define purpose in your life", and 
"how much you devote yourself to improving the welfare of others." (a)

This is what Greg Anderson calls the Law of Life Mission -- living life with a purpose. The problem is, as he says, "most people haven't the faintest notion of what their life mission is."(159) "The typical person," he writes, "busy living what looks to be a [normal] productive life, may be as far away from her or his true life mission as north is from south. Yet all the time a marvelous plan lies hidden deep within."

He tells the story of the dramatic transformation of one of his cancer patient-friends, Roger Burtonelli. 
Roger was diagnosed with matastatic lymphoma and confined to his room, receiving morphine intravenously in order to manage his pain. Greg Anderson recalls a visit with him when he just out asked, "Roger, what's your mission in life?"
Roger looked puzzled. 
And Greg went on, "Well, you're a man of great wisdom. Do you think you need to share that with others?"
Roger was silent, and finally asked, "What do you have in mind?"
Greg said, "I can't be sure, but let me ask, have you shared the lessons you have learned in your rich and full life with your grandchildren?"
He writes, "What happened next was something I have seen repeatedly in people who catch a vision of their mission. Roger's face visibly brightened. His skin color went from ashen gray to vibrant pink. His whole demeanor began to make a shift. His posture changed: he'd been slumping over, and now he was sitting nearly erect in his chair. A smile came on his lips. He held his head high. He raised an arm as he spoke. 
"I could write them letters," he smiled. "That's something I'm able to do."
Roger started his writing mission. Each letter addressed one subject. 
The first was on persistence. 
The next, on the value of reading. 
Another, on how to handle failure. [For his grandchildren!]

Roger began to feel better.

Other letters followed -- on true success, personal efficiency, happiness, and friendship. 

Roger needed less morphine.

Greg Anderson telephoned his friend one day, and Roger said, "I think God has a plan for me right here in these letters. This is not labor. It's play." 

Six months later, Roger called Greg. "I have 23 letters, each on a different subject. And I feel like my health is the best it's been in over two years!"

Greg notes in his book, "Roger continues to write to this day." Purpose! Mission! The Law of Life Mission has power we don't understand.(162)

Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "Find out what the Lord wants you to do." 
Greg Anderson concludes his chapter on the Law of Life Mission with these words:
"For me to feel the deep personal satisfaction of living life on purpose, I needed a sense that my unique life mission was inspired by God. Once I found this sense, I became seriously determined about pursuing the dream. And through the pursuit, I have found more fulfillment than I ever imagined.

Find out what the Lord wants you do. 
And Paul goes on: "Do as God does....Let love be your guide." 
"Make your light shine!" 
"Be kind, and merciful, and forgive others."

There is real power in choosing to live your life with purpose. The clues for the source of this power comes from Paul, and from God's promise to Joshua. God gave Joshua a purpose in life, didn't he? He was to devote himself to the cause, taking over for Moses, to lead the people into the promised land. It was certainly not a sure thing. He was facing thousands of Hebrews looking for strong leadership, and facing a certain unknown ahead -- strange terrain, strange weather, strange enemies. But God gave Joshua a promise, remember? "I will always be with you and help you as I helped Moses." God told Joshua, "Don't be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go." That gave Joshua a certain peace of mind, a certain confidence to go on and face the trials of today, and whatever comes tomorrow. Remembering the promises of God, makes pursuit of the purpose possible.

And so it is with you and me, there is real power in choosing to live your life with purpose. 
And we can do it, like Paul said, "Find out what the Lord wants you to do." 
And the promise given to Joshua is given to us as well: "I will always be with you. I will always help you as I helped Moses, and Joshua, and Abraham, and Sarah, and Jesus, and Paul, and all the others. Don't ever be afraid! Don't ever be discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you, wherever you go."

There is tremendous power in living your life with purpose. Find out what the Lord has in mind for you do while there is still time left. And remember his promises to us. Amen.

How to Live Healthier and Longer:
Focus on Living Certain Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness:
The Law of Life Mission (Living A Life of Purpose)
The Law of Service (Living for Others)
The Law of Stewardship
The Law of Emotional Choice
The Law of Human Dignity
The Law of Present-Moment Living
The Law of Esprit
The Law of Mindfulness
The Law of Forgiveness
The Law of Unconditional Love
The Law of Personal Peace

References:

The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness: Feel, Think, and Live Better Than You Ever Thought Possible
by Greg Anderson

Healing Wisdom: Insight, Wit and Inspiration for Anyone Facing Illness
by Greg Anderson

Journeys With the Cancer Conquerors: Mobilizing Mind and Spirit
by Greg Anderson

Sound Mind, Sound Body: A New Model for Lifelong Health
Dr. Kenneth Pelletier

Research Study: