A Matter of Perspective

Wouldn't it be great if everyone cared for each other? If everyone thought about what was best for their neighbor, before what they wanted for themselves? If all the nations of the world would work together for peace and worked to guarantee a minimum quality of life for every person? You know, so everyone could at least have the basics, like food and shelter? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Well, yes, it would be great if there were less suffering and pain in the world. I will certainly not argue that point. And when I am given the opportunity to help someone in need, I like to take it. But let's take a moment to try and see the world from God's perspective.

First of all, we live in a fallen world, friends. Unfortunately, people do not think of others before themselves, because they are sinful and selfish. ("This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead." Ecclesiastes 9:3) So this wonderfully happy and fluffy ideal cannot be reached. I'm not trying to be a pessimist, or overly negative, or say we shouldn't bother to help the hurting and the poor. ("'If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you." Leviticus 25:35) I'm simply trying to say that spending your entire life trying to make this life slightly less painful for others-or yourself, for that matter-may not be the best use of your time.

For example, say you work really hard focusing on some particular people group-helping them build homes, get educated, clean water, food, etc. You make their lives easier. Maybe even happier. But then what? Life on this earth is fleeting!

"For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?" Ecclesiastes 6:12

"It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath." Ecclesiastes 9:2

Whatever this life brings, whether joy, sorrow, peace or pain, eventually, this life will end! And then, each and every person on this earth will either spend eternity in the glorious presence of God in heaven, or eternally separated from God in hell. That's the only thing that God guarantees about our life. He does not promise that this life will be a fairy tale full of gumdrops and candy canes, only that every man will face the same fate when his brief time on this earth has ended. Every man will stand before God in judgment.

So wouldn't it seem, then, that a better use of the short, fleeting time God gives us would be to share something with eternal value? To be honest with people, and explain that things may never be easy, or happy here on earth. But that we have a much greater, and more magnificent promise to look forward to that will be better than our very very best days here on earth. To share the amazing and powerful love and grace of Jesus Christ with our lost and dying world!

I cannot feed and clothe every person on earth, or even every person I personally come into contact with. But God doesn't expect me to. He expects me to share the Gospel. To share the truth of scripture and the hope and promise I have because of what Christ has done. And then, my life will really mean something to God, to others. Then, my life will make a difference. An eternal difference. Isn't that what really matters?