What Is The Meaning Of Life?

My wife and I teach the junior youth (5th, 6th, & 7th grade) at our church on Sunday & Wednesday nights.  We have taught them since September of 2007.  One of the things we started when we took over was questions night.  Periodically, instead of a formal lesson I would allow them to ask any question about the Bible and its application that they wanted.  The purpose of this was threefold.  First, it gave us an opportunity to interact in a non-formal type setting.  Second, it gave me an opportunity to evaluate where the were spiritually.  Thirdly, it gave me an opportunity to see what issues they had on their minds and may be struggling with.  It has actually worked very well.

Now, I am no Bible expert.  Most of the questions I get a basic and I can easily answer but there are times when I get some very good questions.  These are the ones that are really exciting because it shows that the kids are really thinking about important things.  I will occasionally get a question that I don’t know the answer to.  During one of these question nights, one of the kids decided to try to stump me.  He asked the question “What is the meaning of life?” and smugly set back in his chair thinking he had succeeded and at first I thought he had.

As I took a few seconds to consider the question I thought about how I was completely unprepared for it.  But as I thought, it occured to me that there are many variations to this question.  Some other ways that it is asked is “What is our purpose?” and “Why are we here?”.  You may be able to give some other examples of how it is asked.  I was able to answer these questions.  As I explained to him that our purpose, that the meaning of life, was to glorify God he was a bit stunned.  I must admit that I had a moment of pride also.  I shouldn’t have but I did.

Have you ever been asked this question?  If so, how did you answer it?  Was my answer adequate of did I make an error somewhere that I need to correct.