Reflections on life, possessions and eternal significance

There is a somewhat apocryphal tale of two men talking at a reception after a funeral. One man asks the other, “What did our friend leave?” The reply was: “Everything”.

We can be so eager to acquire transitory things – money, possessions, reputation, status and the list is endless – that we forget that this planet is only temporary in the light of eternity. It is easy to fall into the mentality once expressed in a bumper sticker: “The person with all the toys wins”.

The mentality of “having it all now” is most clearly seen in secular materialism, which has been found to be so unfulfilling. It can also be exhibited in some religious practices, including Islam which prizes itself on taking over territory (which will be no more at the end of time), or in liberal “Christianity” which promotes practices that satisfy particular sexual needs now.

However, the emphasis on things in and of this world can also insidiously slide into evangelicalism. It is easier to slip into reading the stock market returns rather than the Word of God, or checking on how many “likes” your latest posting on Facebook, Instagram or whatever is your preferred social media platform rather than bringing your private prayers to the Lord.

We all desire significance, a bolstering of our reputation, but we search for it in the wrong places, relying too much on people or things, rather than in the presence of King Jesus.

It is in direct contrast to Christ who left everything He had in heaven to become nothing in order to redeem us (Philippians 2v5–8), not being distracted by the things of this world even refusing the luxury of permanent housing in order to fulfil His mission (Matthew 8v20).

Change in perspective

It is important to have the Biblical perspective that the things of the world will not last into eternity. Indeed, the things that we consider to be so important now cannot only distort our perspective of God but can also prevent us from serving other people (Philippians 2v4).

The only change of status at the end of our lives and before God that will matter is that we are in Christ and how we have served and worshipped Him – the rest is peripheral and may even be of no worth. There are Paul’s words to recall that, if we rely on other things (such as money, status, or reputation), it will be regarded as being worthless and so will be burnt in the light of God’s judgement (1 Corinthians 3v12–15). Later in the same book, Paul reminds his readers that the circumstances of this life should be held lightly as “this world in its present form is passing away” (7v31).

This caution is also evident in the Old Testament, for example, “though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them” (Psalm 62v10). In addition, Psalm 49 is dedicated to bringing to mind that everything on this world will pass away: “man, despite his riches, does not endure, he is like the beasts that perish” (verse 12).

There is the salutary reminder in the words of D. L. Moody: “Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”

What matters? In the words of Psalm 49v15, it is that “God will redeem my life from the grave; He will surely take me to Himself”, which is followed by the word Selah – pause to think about that truth.