Brown: Live life with a purpose

COLUMBUS - The purpose of life isn't to live for your profession or to up your status.

It is to fulfill the reason why God put you here.

Ron Brown, executive director of the Nebraska Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization, preached this message at the annual Columbus Days Prayer Breakfast this morning at Scotus Central Catholic.

Of all the celebrations in life, Brown said you have to ask yourself what comes next after that excitement is over.

"Celebrations come to an end, and you are often faced with that question - so what then?" Brown said.

The former Nebraska Cornhusker football coach said he himself was faced with answering that question. Even after three national football titles, Brown said that feeling of excitement comes to an end.

"Twenty or 30 minutes and the thrill is gone. Someone sticks a microphone in your face and wants to know about next year. What's next?"

Celebrations over accomplishments like winning football games, having a successful career or earning money aren't what counts. The real excitement comes from fulfilling the purpose God put you here for.

"There is nothing on this earth to really and justly celebrate that isn't rooted in God," Brown said.

The purpose of your life, he said, is what you get out of bed for every day.

"It has nothing to do with your job. It is what God made you for."

Many people get their purpose and the profession confused. Instead of celebrating God, we put ourselves first.

Brown said when he was fired from his coaching position at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln earlier this year he felt like a tiger at the zoo.

That animal isn't fulfilling its purpose being caged, but take it to the jungle, it will realize that is where it belongs. Even though he said he loved being a coach, he often felt like he had to put a tiger suit on and act in a way that people expected.

But coaching was his job, not his purpose, he said. His purpose is and always was to intimately know Jesus Christ and make him known to others.

Brown said he only got two hours of sleep Thursday night before coming to Columbus. But because he knows his purpose is to spread the word of God, he didn't mind.

"This is a great reason to get out of bed. If you told me I had to go coach on two hours of sleep, I might negotiate with you a little bit."

Prior to closing, Brown reminded those in attendance of the question they should ask to fulfill their purpose.

"Are you living because of your job status and what others think of you? Or are you living for God?"