Purpose

The book of Exodus is about the journey to a promised land. It was a much longer journey than anyone – including Moses – had anticipated. The place that had been promised was symbolic of a purpose to be fulfilled. Achieving the purpose was much more difficult than crossing a wilderness.

The purpose given to Moses was to reclaim the unique identity of the descendents of Abraham. When God called Abraham, he promised him many descendents in a new place, “so that you will be a blessing… and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12: 2-3) The land was one of several symbolic expressions of the relationship existing between God and the family of Abraham. But the symbols are not the substance.

The substance was to be a blessing to humanity. For the last forty years of his life Moses would be challenged, as an individual and a leader, to distinguish between symbol and substance. The symbolic achievement of success was within reach many times. But to claim the symbol prematurely would have threatened achievement of substance.

Moses encountered failure after failure. But he persisted in his purpose. In some cases, his persistent pursuit of purpose significantly delayed entry into the Promised Land.

Most of us are inclined to focus on getting to the Promised Land as quickly as possible, rather than achieving our fundamental purpose as fully as possible. Purpose can be elusive, and not just in something as profound as finding our life purpose. Even in the practical world of commerce, finding and keeping purpose is tough. Peter Drucker writes, “’What is our business?’ is almost always a difficult question and the right answer is usually anything but obvious… That business purpose and business mission are so rarely given adequate thought is perhaps the most important single cause of business frustration and business failure.” (Drucker, Peter; Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices)

Drucker continues that, “To satisfy the customer is the mission and purpose of every business… The customer never buys a product. By definition the customer buys the satisfaction of a want. He buys value.” The real purpose of business is not self-satisfaction but satisfying others beyond the organization. The organization’s purpose is fulfilled in serving others.

For forty years Moses struggled with his people regarding how they would define value. Would they choose the empty promises of the Golden Calf; the beguiling populism of Korah; the sensual pleasure of Moabite and Midianite women? Or would they choose the purpose that God had given Abraham, “To keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice.” (Genesis 18:19) Would they choose to serve themselves or serve God by serving humanity?

Moses was sure the right choice was the purpose given to Abraham. But Moses could not choose for his people. He could lead them, teach them, and encourage them. But finally the people had to find this purpose and give it their own meaning. They could only do this through the struggle of Exodus.

Purpose is not simply proclaimed; it is crafted, refined and confirmed in daily experience. Each of us – and every organization – must undertake an Exodus. Some will be longer than others. But in every case the struggle to find our purpose and live purposefully is our most productive work. How we choose to respond to the struggle and what we learn from the struggle is a path to our most fundamental self.