Prioritizing the eternal over the earthly

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” - Matthew 24:35 

Some of the earliest missionaries to the Marshall Islands received their mail only once a year when the boats made their rounds of the South Pacific. One year, the boat was one day ahead of schedule and came while the missionaries were visiting a neighbouring island.

The captain of the boat left the mail with the Marshallese people, who knew only that this was a much-awaited delivery that the missionaries spoke about often. So they examined the mail to see what was so great about it and concluded that it must be good to eat. So they proceeded to tear the letters into tiny bits and cook them!

Ascribing value to things can often be a very subjective decision. The sentiment you may feel for a family heirloom or a cherished piece of jewelry won’t be shared by everyone. So it can be easy to become overly-attached to such things that hold so much personal value to us.

But the Bible teaches that every material thing will pass away. All the money in our bank accounts… the prized possessions passed down from family… even the most beautiful art in the most prestigious museums will be gone.

What endures, however, are things of eternal value. God, His Word, and the souls of people will exist for eternity. Because of that, these are things which should receive our attention. While things of the world pass away, God endures. Make Him your focus!

Prayer Challenge

Ask God to help you focus on the right things in life: having a saving relationship with Him and loving others.

Questions for Thought

What are some material things in your life that perhaps you’ve given too much value?

How might your life look differently if you made the decision to put priority on the things of God over and above the things of the world?