Nougat 17

Have you ever seen or heard of folks who dedicate their lives to amassing wealth, so much so that they ignore others? It often seems odd that our God permits such actions, while so many in the world are perishing. Today’s Holy Nougat reminds us that this side of eternity is only one side of the equation.

‭Psalms 49:12 NIV‬

[12] People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.

Perishable

I remember speaking with a friend after Hurricane Ivan had devastated the Cayman Islands. She noted that her understanding of what is important shifted after most of her family’s belongings were destroyed, but their lives were spared. Despite the great financial setbacks that replacing items would cause, she was so relieved that most of her community had not perished. Thus, although she eventually replaced much of the items, she resolved that she would allow herself to become attached to people and not things.

For her, that Aha moment came somewhat easily. It came at great cost, after the islanders survived a category 5 storm, but she got to that decision. Others of us don’t get around to discerning what truly matters, and we thus are caught in the frenzy of amassing all we can, often at the expense of others.

Our Nougat reminds us that people and relationships matter. And yes, we ought to leave behind a legacy for the generations to come, but what is even more important is making the most of the time we have with others before it’s too late.

Self-Check

– Have you nursed a grudge, or failed to capitalise on the blessing of another person’s company and then had to deal with the reality of their absence?

– Where do our priorities lie: with amassing all we can at the expense of others; with enjoying life to the max for Me, Myself and I; or making the effort to value people more than things?

Application

Siblings, we often focus on the eternal reckoning that comes after death. That is extremely essential. We must also hold in tension the reckoning that Y’shua calls us to in our daily lives. Remember the rich, young ruler in Luke 18/Mark 10? He was all fired up, ready for eternal life – but unwilling to share with the poor the treasures of earth in exchange for The Treasure of Heaven!

Yes, we all die. Yes, there’s judgement. But isn’t there an indictment on us when others are unable to simply live because we fail to live simply? When teaching us how to live and how to navigate the route to a fulfilling life, Y’shua invited us to consider storing treasures in Heaven that can not rust or be destroyed. This is His invitation to live beyond ourselves, to consider the needs of others today, which may, in turn, be our need tomorrow.

Assignment

Might we opt to value people more than things even as we realize that we, too, are finite?

Let us look for opportunities to be an encouragement or support to others, opting for a legacy that transforms lives even after our departure.

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May all we seek be found in Christ