Discover YOUR Purpose. Then, Live by It.

One of my favorite movie franchises is Planet of the Apes, and in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Caesar makes a profound statement: “Apes alone…weak. Apes together strong.”

Not only am I a fan of Caesar, so of course, I cheer what he says, but I genuinely believe this as well.

Despite being human and this movie being set in an entirely different universe, the concept still holds—together, we can accomplish far more. 

But I also strongly believe in the importance of discovering yourself.

I believe in individuality before anything.

Before Caesar became the leader we know—a king and a voice for his “people,” he had to first discover who he was.

Born into a human world and raised by human hands, Caesar had to come to terms with the “apeness” he innately possessed and accept the parts of himself he once was confused about.

In the movie, as viewers, we can see this deep, internal battle.

There’s a pivotal moment when he questions his identity.

When he tugs at his collar, asks if he’s a pet, inquires who his real father is, and the most impactful of all, when he asks, “What is Caesar?”

Not only is Caesar grappling with the physical realm, but he’s also enduring spiritual heartache.  

Born with exceptional intelligence equivalent to that of a human, yet trapped in an ape body, forced to commune in a man-dominated world, and initially shunned by his own, Caesar wrestled with the power within him, while also wondering what his place was.

But when Caesar fully actualized who he was, he became unstoppable.

The truth of who he was was buried beneath domestication, confusion, and separation.

By reclaiming his identity, Caesar chose who he was destined to become.

And I know this may sound like a reach, because to most people, Caesar is just a CGI monkey. But I think there’s a deeper message here, and by analyzing this modern-day pop culture icon, we can find many takeaways. 

If you pay attention to Caesar closely, you’ll notice many parallels between his story and that of Moses and Jesus in the Bible. 

The writers of Planet of the Apes were taking notes in Bible study, it seems. 

The Church

I once heard a preacher give a sermon about the importance of finding a church, and a core theme of his message centered around the relationships he formed.

Something that stuck out to me was when he shared that he only maintained his faith throughout his youth because he had friends on the same path.

For some reason, that just didn’t sit right with me.

I understood what he meant, it made sense in theory.

To be surrounded by like-minded people and having camaraderie that points towards the same Light could make the journey easier.

But still, I couldn’t help but question it.

“Isn't our walk with God individually based?

So doesn’t that relationship require you to seek Him for yourself, regardless of who else is following Him or not?”

In general, I often hear people stress the importance of finding communities, joining organizations, or aligning with people who have similar titles, but part of me rejects the idea of finding complete solace in others.  

Again, I question the motive and wonder: Would you be able to stand alone if you had no one at all? 

Would you still be the person you are if you were stripped of your titles?

Would you be “you” if you were rejected from those communities?

If those organizations never existed?

If no one gave you recognition for what you were doing?

Would you be you if you had no outside influences?

For the pastor to heavily stress joining a church for the entirety of his sermon and to credit the consistency of his faith to his friends, all I could think was: “Are we not the church?”

And I mean individuals.

I am the church of God, and when I join in unison with other people, we become the church of God.

But is my wholeness not contingent on the personal relationship I maintain with God? 

To me, it sounded like he was making the entire walk with God communal based on the presence of others, but that’s where my issue lies. 

People constantly tell young people to find other people to make themselves strong, but what do you say to that person if everyone around them fails them? 

If your identity is rooted in who you associate with and your strength lies in those who agree with you, but you never learn how to stand alone, what do you do if everyone goes away? 

And as a young person, this is so troublesome to me because I think that positioning completely contradicts the Word of God.

I’m not saying isolate yourself, or that you can’t form friendships, or that being around people who push you to grow isn’t beneficial.

But there is a moment when you must come to terms with yourself, and you must deal with God one on one.

We were born alone, and we will die alone.

So, we must get ourselves in order first, and that cannot be motivated by the existence of other people. 

Throughout the Bible, God often calls people into solitude to fulfill their purpose.

Abraham, initially, had no one.

Joseph, initially, had no one.

Moses, initially, had no one.

Jesus had no one.

David had a friend like Jonathan, but he still experienced an individual reckoning that only he could understand with the one true God because it was personalized and tailored to him. Despite the immense amount of support he received from his friend, that friendship didn’t complete him—God did. 

Every major figure had to be set apart before they could lead others.

And when you look closely, they were never truly alone—God was always with them. 

The Parable of the Talents  

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells of the parable of the talents.

In this lesson, Jesus equates the kingdom of heaven to a man traveling on a long journey.

Before the man (who is a master) departs, he gives three of his servants different amounts of talents (money).

One receives five, another two, and another one.

He doesn’t tell them what to do with it, but he expects them to act. 

The servant given five talents takes it and doubles it.

The servant given two talents doubles his as well, but the servant given one talent does nothing at all.

Out of fear, he hid what his master had given him and made no use of what he had.

The servants who had shown themselves worthy received favor from their lord and were rewarded with more than they had originally, but the one who hid what his lord had given him, had everything taken away from him, told to give the little he did have to the servant with 10 talents, and then cast away.  

It’s easy to read this account and stop at the surface-level context of money, but the fact that this is equated to the kingdom of heaven means it’s much deeper than that.

I believe the takeaway is clear: God gives each of us something unique, and we’re held accountable for what we do with it. 

This parable isn’t just about money or stewardship.

It’s about calling, initiative, and identity. 

What Does This Mean for Us?

I think many people live their lives wondering, “What am I here for?” or “Why do I exist?”

I’ve asked these questions many times, and when I listened to people, I realized I wasn’t the only one.

You’re born into a world already functioning, billions of other people existing at the same time as you, and the world would operate the same as it would if you weren’t here.

So why?

“Why me?” 

But I think it’s foolish to question your existence because none of us can reverse time and ask our mothers to never have birthed us.

So, we must make do with what we got, and out of all the people who could have been born, we must’ve been chosen for a reason.

I believe every being on this earth possesses something within them reflective of God’s glory. 

He blessed us with life and being that we were created in His image and intentionally chosen to be here, God has granted us all talents that should be used to serve His kingdom, not kept for ourselves but multiplied and poured back out in service.

Some of us are naturally comforting.

Some are creative.

Some are leaders.

Dreamers.

Problem-solvers.

Visionaries.

Speakers.

Artists.

Bold.

Gentle.

Deep-thinkers.

Encouragers.

Listeners.

And some are all the above, and everything more I can think of.

But whatever you are, God has given it to you. 

And when we stop looking outward for confirmation and start asking Him, we’ll uncover the very things that make us uniquely us. 

However, we live in a world driven by “self”. 

Instead of wondering how we can serve others, we hoard everything we have. 

Whether that be out of fear of how others may perceive us, a lack of confidence, avoidance due to past pain, or maybe genuine selfishness—we are not a culture of givers.

Giving should be a selfless act, but if we do give, it’s typically with the expectation of receiving something back in return.

Or, if we do give, it’s for praise or recognition for our character.

But God doesn’t operate like that. 

He blesses those who pour themselves out, not for glory or recognition, but because their heart longs to.

It’s easy to look at someone else and think, “They have it all,” and be unsatisfied with the little you think you obtain, but your very outlook on life may be exactly why you lack. 

That servant only had one talent.

It would’ve been much easier to multiply his blessings compared to the servant who had 5, yet he did nothing.

His inaction is probably exactly why he was given so little in the first place.

He wasn’t punished because he didn’t multiply it.

He was punished because he didn’t even try. 

He let fear and laziness dictate his actions, and he refused to take ownership of what was given to him.

He did nothing.

And doing nothing is a choice.

If you can’t make use of what you already have, why would you be given the burden of more?

Why would you be entrusted with greater responsibility?

And I’d like to take it a step further and imagine what if he had.

What if he looked at the other servants and felt compelled to multiply his talent because he saw what they were doing?

I still don’t think it would change much. 

Because he’d be multiplying based on the actions of others, not because he genuinely wanted to.

And I think that goes back to my point about the church earlier.

If you are motivated to do good just because you see everyone else around you doing what you perceive to be “good”, in a way, you might as well do nothing at all.

The greatest position you can have on this earth is that of a servant, and that is not to be confused with a slave. 

Servitude is done willingly, not out of forced or coerced obligation. 

But by discovering who you are, through a connection with God, you figure out the purpose for your talents. 

And this happens when you cultivate a meaningful and personal relationship with Him that can only be sustained by the communion you have with the Lord daily.

He didn’t give you talents to join someone’s “church” or use them because you noticed your friends were.

Yes, finding a place to worship is a great place to bond with others, and having friends who are like you and share your values is a blessing!

But He didn’t give them to you so you can fit in with others, nor for applause, attention, or accolades—He gave them to you to serve, to build, to impact, and to glorify Him.

The favor we receive from the Lord is a byproduct of us carrying out His will.

He blesses those who are obedient to Him.

Just as a parent would reward a child obedient to them.

However, I must inform you that this will not be easy.

Serving God in a world like ours will be the hardest thing you commit yourself to doing.

You will experience pain, loss, temptations, anger, grief, setbacks, disappointment, and all the above.

We are still human—imperfect and ridden with sin—but to live a life for the Lord offers a payout unlike anything you could ever imagine. 

On the contrary, you will also experience peace, love, joy, understanding, a Father who will always provide, and a Father who will never depart.

This is not a message about prosperity.

This is a message about divine alignment. 

This is not a message about hope, I believe hope is fickle.

But it is a message about faith because faith sustains.

Everyone’s path is different.

We are all born with different capabilities, and to me, that’s what makes life so beautiful.

You’re born into a world with billions of people, yet your life will never have to mirror anyone else’s. 

If you discover your purpose. 

A Full Circle 

Caesar could’ve taken the easy route and stayed complacent where he was—in the house, under the safety of his adoptive father.

Caesar could’ve let fear of the unknown consume him.

But Caesar took his talents—his intelligence, insight, instinct—and invested them to build something larger than himself. 

He used his talents to serve others, and in return, he reaped the benefits of having an unselfish heart.

Through the fire, he harvested triumph.

Caesar had no friends to lean on in the beginning.

Caesar had no community to join.

But Caesar had the willpower to discover himself, and when he did, he was able to make and sustain connections to build a family based on common values.

In a humanistic sense, we can learn much from Caesar.

But in a transcended and spiritual sense, I’ll take it a step further and point to why Jesus was an even greater example.

Jesus knew who He was. 

Without the validation from any onlookers or His disciples.

Nor did He wary in His purpose when the Pharisees questioned who He was.

From the beginning, a young boy at 12 years old, Jesus always knew.

And He spread his talents willingly.

When the time came for Jesus to carry the cross, everyone who had praised Him days before turned their back on Him.

He was betrayed by a man He called a friend, denied three times by another, and He stood alone to bear the weight of sin.

Yet, He never cursed God because He knew the Lord was with Him.

He never cursed God because He didn’t honor the Lord based on what everyone else was doing. 

He did it because of the love He had for His Father and humanity.

Jesus sacrificed Himself so that you and I could have eternal life, and when we live our earthly lives with Him and for Him, we get to spend an eternity in a perfect world with God for the rest of our days.

So, I tell you, whoever’s reading this—look within, seek God, and find your purpose. 

By having an unshakable foundation rooted in God and a strong sense of self, the bonds you make with others will strengthen as a byproduct of the identity you forged on your own.

Matthew 25:29-30 (NKJV): ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 

James 1:17 (NKJV): Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 

Jeremiah 1:4-5 (NKJV): Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you..

Jeremiah 1:7-8 (NJKV):  But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.

Matthew 5:3-12 (NKJV): He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Psalm 139:14 (NKJV): I will praise You, for, I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

Genesis 1:27 (NKJV): So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV): For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Matthew 16:25 (NKJV):  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV): I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV): But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV): Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Romans 8:28-30 (NKJV): And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV): But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Jeremiah 20:9 (NKJV): Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not