When we meet someone new, we are always curious aboutwho he or she is. God has the same curiosity about each
human being. He is especially curious about young people,
and it brings Him great joy when He gets to know them intimately. Why
is this? It is because our youth is the most important and most beautiful
period of our lives. This period should be a time of tranquility as one
prepares for the future. The process of growing to maturity is a building
block that opens the way to a new era.
It is difficult to find young people today who are passionate about
their lives. We find so many young people who, with no goal or purpose
for their life, are just wandering around. All great leaders in history had
a definite sense of purpose in life from the time they were children.
From childhood they nurtured that purpose held within their hearts
and exerted great energy to achieve it. Whether they were sleeping or
playing with their friends, every youthful action of these great leaders
was geared toward preparing for the stage that they would stand on in
the future. Is that how you are living your life?
We were all created to be great men and women. God did not send
us into this world without purpose. When God created us He invested
His complete love into each person. So we were all created for greatness.
Because God exists, we can accomplish anything.
I became a completely different person when I began to love God.
I loved humanity more than myself and was more concerned with the
problems of others than the problems of my family. I loved everything
that God created. I deeply loved the trees on the hills and the fish in the
waters. My spiritual senses developed so I could discern God’s handiwork
in all things of creation.
As I was changing my heart to conform to God’s love, I also strengthened
my body so that I could fulfill my mission. I wanted to be ready to
go anywhere, anytime that God called on me. I played soccer and did
boxing, some traditional Korean martial arts, and wonhwado, a form of
martial arts that I developed. In wonhwado the athlete moves his body
in a smooth circular motion, almost as in a dance. It is based on the
principle that greater power comes from circular motion than moving
in a straight line.
Even now I begin each day with stretching exercises for my muscles
and joints and a breathing exercise that I developed. Sometimes when I
am traveling around the world on speaking tours, I may not have time
for these exercises in the morning. Still I will find the time, sometimes
while sitting on the toilet. I never miss a day of exercise. When I was
young, thirty minutes a day was plenty, but now that I am older I have
increased it to an hour a day.
In 2008 I was involved in a helicopter crash. The helicopter was suddenly
surrounded by black rain clouds and in an instant crashed onto a
mountainside. The helicopter rolled over, and I was left hanging upside
down by my seatbelt. Instinctively I tightly grabbed the arm rests on
both sides of my seat. If I had not been so diligent in my exercises, I
think I would have broken my hip the instant that I was suspended
upside down. The body is the container to hold a healthy spirit. It is
important for us to be diligent about training our bodies.
Few students go to school because they like to study. They usually
go because their parents tell them to, not because they look forward to
studying. As students continue to study, however, they gradually learn
to enjoy it. From that point they will start to study on their own and
find their own path. This self-developed interest in learning is a sign of
maturity.
Parents cannot wait until their children mature enough to study on
their own. They tell them, “You have to study. Please make up your
mind to study,” and put pressure on them. Parents do this because they
know that children need to study in order to prepare for the future.
They worry that if their children don’t study at the proper age level, they
will face the future unprepared.
There is, however, something more important than studying to prepare
for the future. Before unconditionally focusing entirely on studies,
young people must realize what they want to do in life. They must make
a determination to use their talents to help the world rather than just
serve themselves. Many young people today seem to be studying just
for its own sake. Unless you have a purpose in life, your studies will lack
the passion needed for happiness.
Once I came across a Korean student working hard on his English schoolwork.
I asked him, “Why are you working so hard to learn English?”
He answered, “To get into a university.”
What could be more foolish? Getting into a university is not a purpose.
A university is a place to go to study particular subjects in the
course of pursuing a larger objective. It cannot be the objective itself.
Also, do not define your life goal in terms of how much money you
want to make. I have never received a salary, but I managed to eat and
stay alive. Money is a means to do something, not the goal. Before you
make money, have a plan for spending it. Money gained without a prior
objective will soon be wasted.
Your choice of occupation should not be based on just your talents
and interests. Whether you become a fire fighter, a farmer, or a soccer
player is up to you. But what I am referring to transcends your occupation.
What kind of life will you lead as a soccer player? How will you live
as a farmer? What is your objective in life?
To set your objective is to give meaning to the life you will lead.
If you are going to be a farmer, then you should set your objective to
test new agricultural methods, develop better species of crops, and help
eradicate world hunger. If you are going to be a soccer player, then set
a meaningful objective such as to heighten your country’s image in
the world or to establish soccer camps that will nurture the dreams of
economically deprived children.
To become a world-class soccer player takes incredible work. If you
do not have a definite purpose in your heart, you will not be able to
endure the difficult training required to reach the top. Only if you have
an objective will you have the power to maintain your course and live a
life that is a cut above those around you.
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