Losses and Gains: What Really Matters?

Phillipians 3: 7-9 "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. "

A few years ago I left the University of Ca, Irvine to take care of my mother who had been diagnosed with dementia. I thought I would work from home, and I got the idea to start a Christmas decoration business. I learned a great deal, and frankly, as new business ventures go, I was able to figure out how to obtain ornaments from Ukraine, and even though it took a while to figure out all the intricate details of importing goods, I had a worthy supply of the ornaments for a fairly low investment.

Ah but there was so much I didn't know in the sales department, and I was spread too thin trying to buy, import, sell, ship, invoice, etc. After about four years I closed the business. Now I have thousands of Christmas ornaments in storage; beautiful, hand-painted orbs of Christmas joy, and I am unable to unload anywhere. I've tried all sorts of things, and I will keep on trying, but what was once a great asset I now count as a large loss.

Don't cry for me though; I am okay with it. Eventually we'll find a buyer or two. It makes me wonder how those guys on the storage auction shows get rid of the things they find. I'm pretty sure they have people who do nothing but find buyers for forgotten inventories. My daughter says she has an idea for selling them, and we'll give her a shot at it (We welcome your suggestions too, by the way)!

Sometimes we fill our lives with things that seem important at the time, but end up having little or no value. More than just tangible objects, we fill our lives with thoughts and activities that ultimately yield very little long-lasting value. We live when leisure time is at an all-time high, but at the same time, there are thousands of people who are without work, homeless, hungry, and without an education. How much money does a hit movie make? Hundreds of millions, and often over a billion! Imagine what would happen if the local food banks received such funding.

Eventually we will all come to an end to our lives, and beyond that, Christians believe in life after death in union with Christ for eternity. Others believe in reincarnation, and some say that life now is all there is, and once you die, lights out. Whatever the final scenario turns out to be, there is still this thing called life right now.

Human endeavors, even the greatest of books, monuments, and ideas all fade away. Even scientific progress seems to need to be "rediscovered" from time to time. So what does that leave for us? I believe we need to spend this time finding out what really matters. For me, pursuing a relationship with God seems tantamount in importance. Passing on my thoughts to you is part of that pursuit.

Whatever you decide, it is never a bad idea to examine the things that occupy your mind, and re-prioritize to higher purposes. Assess if the things you are doing now are your best use of time, and then act accordingly. Consider a more spiritual approach to life.