The State of My Soul

I think most of you know I have worked in a men’s ministry for the last twenty years. In my past blogs I have written a good bit about my concern for men’s mental, emotional, and psychological health. There seems to be a number of causes for this.

The noted American historian, Daniel Boorstin, offers some interesting insights into one of the primary causes. He calls it the Graphic Revolution. This revolution started with photography, which evolved into print media, then television, all the way to today’s social media. Boorstin said,

The Graphic Revolution has created a new kind of power, the power to make average people doing average things “famous.” So much so, he says, that we have now become a culture focused intensely on celebrity.

In the past, fame was primarily an honor earned, the result of performing heroic deeds or of making significant contributions to the welfare of the community through invention or the advancement of education and industrial strength. Boorstin says that today, on the other hand, people are often considered famous simply because they have become well-known through the media. Sports stars, actors and actresses, television personalities and reality stars, children of celebrities famous for being children of celebrities—the power and allure of fame grows stronger and stronger every day.

Boorstin’s principle concern for modern society is that we are becoming more image conscious and less quality conscious. We give celebrities and the media more and more power over our lives simply because of the image they project rather than the true value they represent.

I don’t think the Graphic Revolution has changed a man’s desire to succeed in life. What has changed, however, are the standards by which that success is measured. Success now has to do with public image and the appearance of success instead of our character and the quality of our work.

Many men are no longer concerned with a life of excellence. Instead, no matter how much a man accomplishes, he does not believe he is successful unless others know about it. We now regard success as achievement plus proper recognition of our achievement. This, the recognition, is what makes us feel worthwhile and what makes us feel like we measure up as men.

Life for so many of us is just a performance with people to impress.

Christopher Lasch, in his book, The Culture of Narcissism, may have said it best. “Men would rather be envied for their material success than respected for their character.”

I have concluded that we have become a very secular culture and God has become irrelevant. In the process, we have completely neglected the care of our souls.

A number of years ago I read an interview from The New York Times, in which a reporter interviewed Don Hewitt, who had just ended a 36-year career as the executive producer of 60 Minutes. The reporter said:

 Hewitt strode into his office and gestured toward the walls. There hung photographs of presidents, diplomats, foreign leaders and entertainers. There were notes from Presidents. A constellation of Emmy Awards. Arrays of plaques, posters and medallions.

“I’m not trying to be an egomaniacal maniac, but look,” he said. “I don’t want to lower the temperature. Where the hell do you go? What do you do that’s going to be like this?”

Clearly, here is a man who does not know what he is going to do with the rest of his life. He seems to realize this flamboyant, exciting life he has lead, has not resulted in any real satisfaction or meaning. As you read between the lines, you see what has happened. He has neglected the health of his soul. I think a good question we all should ask is, “What is the state of my soul?”

I believe the foundation of a healthy soul is in the development of your relationship with God. The healthiest people I know seek God daily in the Bible and set aside time to talk with God in their prayer life. This is generally the top priority in their lives and it leads to a vibrant, healthy soul.

Richard E Simmons III is the founder and Executive Director of The Center for Executive Leadership and a best-selling author.