Look around your home and how many things can you find that were made over 100 years ago? If you like antiques, maybe your home was even built over 100 years ago, but it likely doesn’t look now like it did back then. One constant in life is that things change over time. Things that seem like they will last forever eventually fade with time if they are not taken care of well. Just ask someone a generation of two beyond you what the town you live near used to look like when they were young and you may not even recognize their description. If things come and go that quickly within 50-100 years, what will become of you in that same time?
For all people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever. 1 Peter 1:24
I like a good value. I still have a shop-vac that I paid $5 at a garage sale over 10 years ago and I can’t tell you how many hundred gallons of water and other unmentionable things that device has cleaned up in that time. All the wheels may be missing, but it keeps on doing what it was made to do, but alas, it will not last forever either. Surely you have a story of a favorite tool or utensil that your grandparents used and still works just as well as the day it was made. Or maybe you had a favorite vehicle that has made it over 300k miles without any major mechanical issues and wish they all could last that long. But as we know nothing lasts forever, or does it?
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
What does endure from generation to generation? I had an interesting conversation with my Aunt a few weeks ago and mentioned to her that I appreciated the $10 I received for my birthday as a child more than any monetary gift today. A gift when it is greatly needed, is greatly appreciated. Kids can squander an inheritance faster than you can imagine. If you think you are doing your family a favor by leaving them a nice inheritance, you are fooling yourself, and hurting them. Instead of giving them something they will mishandle, teach them the value of work and to be good stewards of whatever they have. If you have the opportunity, do something good with what you have today instead of taking the chance it will be wasted in the future.
Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8
If money and things won’t last much more than you will, then instill in others things that will endure beyond this life. Teach your children and anyone who will listen about the truth in the Word of God, which has not and never will change. Teach them about God’s love and mercy shown to us in Christ, and lives will be impacted for generations to come. Introduce them to a friend named Jesus and they will never again need to feel alone or afraid. Our words and actions will impact the lives of those around us for longer than any material thing could ever do. Give to those in need, but don’t neglect their greatest need. Give them something that will last!
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Courage in Christ,
Clark
