“In Him we live and move and have our being.” - Acts 17:28

In seminary, philosophy was one of my favorite subjects. I was especially drawn to ontological discourse - the exploration of the foundations of being. Some of these ideas have become well-known aphorisms.

Heraclitus said, “I am because I change.”

Plato taught, “I am because I remember.”

The Stoics affirmed, “I am because I reason.”

Kant declared, “I am because I am free.”

Hegel wrote, “I am because I recognize and am recognized.”

And Heidegger reflected, “I am because I care.”

Throughout human history, countless thinkers have tried to define what it means to be. It’s not just a philosophical question - it’s deeply personal, especially for those going through suffering, pain, or uncertainty.

What does it mean for you to be?

There is a powerful African philosophical concept known as Ubuntu, which in Zulu dialect means: “I am because you are.” It speaks of our interconnectedness and shared humanity - how our being is realized in relation to others. We exist because of our families, friends, and the communities that surround us. This captures something essential to our Christian faith: that our being is never isolated. We are made in the image of a relational God: We are, because Christ is.

Today, I invite you to re-evaluate the meaning and purpose of your life. Reflect deeply on what it means for you to be, and ask yourself: What is it worth to be?

Let your purpose guide you—not toward self-centeredness, but toward others, to those with whom we are inherently and inseparably connected.

Prayer:

Lord, help us to live not for ourselves, but in love for others. Teach us what it means to be rooted in You and live in compassion. Amen.