LIFE
GOALS

Topics: Ambition; Character; Contentment; Goals; Greed; Lifestyle; Money; Possessions; Prosperity; Purpose; Riches; Spiritual Growth; Spiritual Poverty; Stewardship; Teens; Worldliness

References: Deuteronomy 15:7; Proverbs 19:17; Matthew 6:1–4; 19:21; Acts 5:1–11

What is “essential” in the mind of the typical college freshman? An extensive survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute found that 85.8 percent say it is getting rich. That’s a 43 percent increase over what the typical college freshman thought in 1967. As for developing a meaningful philosophy of life? Only 45 percent found it to be of any real worth. That’s a 29 percent drop.

According to research collected by Pew Research for the MacNeil/Lehrer Productions’ Generation Next project, 18- to 25-year-olds listed the following as their top life goal:

•     be rich: 81 percent

•     be famous: 51 percent

•     help people who need help: 30 percent

•     be leaders in their community: 22 percent

•     become more spiritual: 10 percent

—Van Morris, “Goals of ‘Generation Next,’ ” PreachingToday.com