“What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” Psalms 8:4
Consider the insignificance of man in the context of outer space. Compared to the vastness of the universe, man seems like a puny creature. Galaxies are spiraling whirlpools of matter and energy—small oases in the universe. We live a galaxy, called the Milky Way. Our galaxy measures about 100,000 light years in diameter and about 1000 light years thick! It has up to 400 billion stars like our Sun. Astronomers estimate there are 100 billion such galaxies in the universe. At the center of every galaxy—including the Milky Way—there resides a massive black hole! Volumes of statistics, facts and figures about the enormity of space and the fascinating field of astronomy would bore you to tears.
But, when you read Psalm 8, it seems clear: Despite enormity of the universe, God still considers man to be of supreme value. Scientists believe that man is everything, yet man is nothing. Man is God, but man is beast. Man is the absolute ultimate in the process of evolution, yet man is evil and must be destroyed. Some believe that man die for the earth to survive. Secular Humanists believe biology is closely tied to both their atheistic theology and their naturalist philosophy. If there is no supernatural, then life, including human life, must be the result of evolution. Julian Huxley, for example, insists that “man … his body, his mind and his soul were not supernaturally created but are all products of evolution.” Modern scientists agree. Does man have value? They say “No.” A machine, no matter how sophisticated and unique, is still impersonal. And even if one thinks of man as a great animal—the pinnacle of evolution—man is still just an animal.
The value of human life presupposes an immortal human soul and a personal beginning (i.e., creation by an infinite, personal God). Therefore, secular humanism really has nothing to offer except extinction into the cosmic void. They ignore the inevitable by focusing on the immediate future instead of the distant, eternal future. If everyone who ever lived ceases to exist, then life is meaningless.
This helps us understand why children brought up under this worldview are willing to commit murder over a pair of tennis shoes or a gold chain. This is how Stalin could murder 20 million people with less feeling than one has when swatting a fly. Are you beginning to see how secular humanism leads to eugenics, abortion, euthanasia, labor camps and genocide? Wrong! God thinks more of you than your teacher or professor does. The secular world would have applauded your abortion. They believe in population reduction by any means necessary, including abortion, famine, war and disease. To them, humanity is a liability to the planet. They believe that non-human life is superior to mankind.
The fact is that you are here on purpose! You are here as a creation of God. You are an outgrowth of the relationship between you and your creator. It is time for you to reject the claims that contend you are here as a mathematical statistic, a random, biochemical reaction. You are here to fulfill the purpose of God. Don’t put yourself down. Quit listening to negative voices. A staggering number of people hate themselves, question the value and purpose of their existence, and entertain thoughts of self-destruction. Many have no sense of their own significance.
Respect who you are. Accept who God thinks you are! You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are uniquely gifted and equipped to make a difference in life. Your potential is infinite—not finite. Potential resides in you to do far more than you ever imagined.