“This World Is Not My Home”

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

A few things confuse me.  If we are supposed to view the world as temporary and Heaven as our final home, why should we even try to do things that earn recognition in the world?  Why does everyone strive to be "successful"?  Why don't we focus on simple things like loving each other and being happy instead of stuff like obtaining credentials and other social honors ultimately to make money and buy more and more worldly possessions?  Why do we even pray about world-related stuff if we should only care about pleasing God and inheriting His kingdom?  Why do we not want to die even though if we're saved, we’ll go to Heaven?

Sincerely,
Not Climbing The Ladder

Dear Not Climbing The Ladder,

Solomon says that God wants to bless us in this life as well as the next (Eccl 2:24).  True, heaven will be far better (Php 1:23), but it is normal to enjoy the blessings of this life.  In fact, if we are christians, we are to work hard at all we do (Col 3:23).  Working hard brings success, and success brings honor.  There is nothing wrong with success unless it tears us away from Christ.  Covetousness, greed, and selfishness are wrong (Col 3:5, 1 Tim 6:10) and should always be avoided, but it is possible to be successful and still avoid those vices.  Even Jesus prayed that God would bless us with our daily bread and in our daily lives (Lk 11:3).

The second part of your question addresses the natural human fear of death and attachment to this world.  God has set eternity in our hearts (Eccl 3:11) as well as the desire to live (Ps 23:4).  Most people fear death (or at least aren’t chasing it) because of their natural survival instinct.  There is nothing wrong with that.  This world is where we live and are used to living.  Death is the unknown, and we naturally fear the unknown.

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