[242 words]
The greater host of humanity lives solely for the present. Perhaps half as many give occasional, fleeting thought to what may come tomorrow. Each generation rears its thinkers, its planners, who think in terms of a lifetime, and at times may even look philosophically at the hem of history’s garment. But few individuals, scarcely any of any generation, are wise enough to look beyond today and tomorrow to the immeasurable expanse of eternity.
The rich farmer of Luke’s twelfth chapter could see nothing beyond his short-lived life of flesh. His myopic vision saw no farther than his bulging, overburdened barns. He contemplated retirement but ignored eternity. And God called him a fool.
The inspired James describes this same type of man, this same type of fool, in his fourth chapter: “Come now, you who are saying, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to a certain city, and spend a year there; we will trade and make a profit.’ You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are a vapor which briefly appears, and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live, and do this or that.”’ (vs. 13-15, McCord).
What a waste to hone our health, primp and paint our bodies, prepare and pad our retirement accounts—all to benefit this frail life of flesh—while sadly ignoring the undeniable reality of eternity!
Would God call you a fool?
Dalton Key
Church of Christ
Tulsa, OK