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What is the chief end of man?

Nov 30th, 2007
by Michael Krahn.

Calvin’s Heidelberg Catechism:
What is the chief end of man?
To know God and enjoy him forever.

How much more effective could my witness be if I could first believe and then start with this in my attempts to show others Christ? I’ll keep referring to the subculture by which I was surrounded, the Canadian Mexican Mennonite culture. I was surrounded by it and affected by it but I wouldn’t consider myself raised IN it.

To know God and enjoy Him forever is not something that was often (if ever) communicated to me. To obey him forever, to not have fun forever, to categorize nearly everything as “of the world” and then to stay away from everything that is “of the world” – those were the chief ends of man that I was aware of.

I’ll make a completely subjective judgment here: As I sit writing this in a coffee shop in southwestern Ontario, a young family of Mennonite heritage similar to mine is sitting at the table beside me. Although they are dressed in clothing no different than anyone else in this coffee shop, I somehow pegged them even before I heard them speak the common language of Mennonites in this area – Low German or Plattdeutsch.

There is an enduring sadness in the mother’s face, a hesitance to smile, a lack of joy that I have seen in countless others. I have seen her smile a couple of times but she seems to fight it.

There is the hint in the accent of their English that they learned it second after Low German, but their two young sons are clearly young Canadians. The father has some semblance of joy but is reserved in his expression of it.

None of this is to question their faith or to say that they don’t have true joy, it is simply an observation of a unique countenance common to many, and it is one that seems reluctant to express joy.

Posted in: Misc.

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  • http://www.aldenswan.com Alden

    Interesting observation. I have very little knowledge of the Anabaptist heritage (or Calvinist, for that matter), having been raised in an area dominated by Lutherans and Catholics (I was Lutheran). Even the Lutheran Church was impacted by holiness movements, which tried as hard as they could to remove joy from life, as if life on the prairies of northern Minnesota wasn’t hard enough.

    When my Dad was little, they weren’t allowed to have playing cards in the house (although they played the same games using a Rook deck). Music was frowned upon, but they rebelled there – my Dad played in a swing band. Drinking was a definite no-no (aside from medicinal brandy and a bit of home-made wine) It’s really odd, considering the Lutheran heritage.

    Joy is perhaps one of the easiest targets of the enemy- once that is gone, I think you are correct: evangelism suffers. Who wants a miserable religion? (Obviously there are some who do…)

    I think that’s why Christmas is such a big deal to me and so many people – it’s a celebration of joy, of extravagance, or sheer silliness and excess. It may look at times like materialism (and I don’t deny that materialism is an issue), but could it simply be a breaking out of joy, expressed in a culturally acceptable manner?

    Thanks for the post, Michael. Once again, you’ve got me thinking …

  • http://www.michaelkrahn.com Michael Krahn

    Hey Alden,

    My home was similar in that my Dad kept progressing away from that stuff as I grew up – and that was pretty cool to see. It’s to the point now where we can talk theology over a beer and play cards afterwards.

    Oh – we played Rook too (aka “The Christian Card Game”)