What Really Matters?
“What good is it for someone
to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”
– Mark 8:36
It’s the little things that get us. We don’t plan to
commit murder. We don’t plan to rob a bank. We don’t plan to ever deny Jesus.
But, well, we don’t have a problem with hate when
someone has done us wrong. And we understand anger and revenge when someone “deserves”
our wrath.
We work hard for what we have and we keep it for
ourselves. We “need” so many things – a new car, a long vacation, several
nights eating out. We might not be able to tithe – money’s tight you know – but
we can take care of ourselves.
We would never deny Jesus, not officially anyway. But
we don’t have time to help the poor and the elderly. We can’t offer ourselves up
as sacrifices. There’s barely enough hours in the day to get done the things we
must get done – job, kid’s activities, socializing, household chores.
We try to show up for church on Sunday. Sometimes we’re
just too tired or we need a mini-vacation to the beach or mountains. God
understands, we tell ourselves. We try to volunteer. Okay. Maybe only when it
something that directly benefits us or our children. Let someone else care for
those who are alone or have long-term needs.
We pray most days. It might just be a quick moment
before bed or a muttering before we head off to work. There’s just no time for
serious Bible study or true alone time with God. He understands the demands of
our lives. God loves us anyway. He knows we’ll get around to it one day.
What if one day never comes? What if today is your
last day on earth? What if your child gets cancer and everything you thought
was important suddenly isn’t? What if life knocks you to the ground and you
find yourself in quicksand?
The Bible tells us to build our lives on the rock of
faith. We are to nourish our roots so that they grow strong and deep in the fertile
soil of faith. We aren’t to wait until desperation hits. We’re to do it now,
before we hit the wall.
How many of us do that? How many of us attend church
occasionally and call ourselves good? How many of us do the minimum and think
we’re covered for whatever might come? And how many of us truly know that we
are one moment away from a life-changing event?
We somehow think we are insulated from the truly bad.
We work hard. We’re believers. We are. Well, maybe we don’t always live like
it. We like to have fun and, well, we’re just so busy.
Just remember this: Possessions won’t hold you up when
the world tears you apart. Good intentions won’t carry you when you’re in need
and the world has better things to do. And faith that isn’t nourished when life
is good won’t sustain you when everything you thought you knew is gone.
You may end up with the whole world but what about
your soul? When the day is done and you are heading home, will you finally
realize that Jesus really was all that mattered after all?
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