What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?
Do not love the world or the things in the world. … The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever.
Mark 8:36; 1 John 2:15 & 17.
Our world exerts considerable pressure on us: it has so much to offer that we risk spending our life running after vain things like money, material possessions, leisure activities, popularity or culture. These things cannot be the ultimate objective of our life. Their alleged values are merely transitory.
Let us be clear minded. Let us stop for a moment and take stock. We need to answer this question: what am I really pursuing?
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). What we truly enjoy binds us and even transforms us. If we love the world and its pleasures, all might go well for a time. But our thirst for happiness will not be properly satisfied, and we shall lose our life. Let us rather respond to God’s call and come to Jesus Christ. He will give us a peace, joy and hope that transcends everything, even death.
The challenge for us Christians is to live in the world without letting the world dwell in us at any cost. If seeking the kingdom of God is our primary aim, i.e. enjoying the Lord’s presence in all circumstances, we shall be able to live happily without being bound to the world’s values and priorities. Our life here in the world will really be beneficial for us ourselves and our environment, and it will be honour the Lord.