THINGS THAT LAST
Imagine chewing the same piece of gum for thirty-six years. Colorado mother, Harriet Lasky, claimed she bought a piece of bubble gum when she was seven, and never threw it away. In a 1996 interview, Lasky stated she places it in a glass of water by her bed each night, and “first thing after breakfast, the gum goes in my mouth.” (https://leemichaelwithers.tripod.com/sfh9_20_96.htm)
While I admire Ms. Lasky’s perseverance and frugality, I have to wonder: Is there a bubble gum shortage in the world I didn’t hear about? Or perhaps some things—like bubble gum—were never intended to last.
Scripture tells us only two things will endure forever: the word of God and people. First Peter 1:24-25 states, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” The same is true of people (Matthew 25:46). That being true, where should we invest our time and energy? Hmm… maybe on God’s word and people?
One of Satan’s greatest tactics is to turn our attention away from eternal matters, and occupy our time with things that won’t last. There’s lots of good stuff in our world—like hobbies, possessions, and our careers. Enjoy them. But don’t get so caught up in things that won’t last, that we fail to invest our time on what will endure.
Getting sidetracked from this objective is a daily battle. Since Linda died, I’ve found myself watching far too much television at night. My favorite way of ending each day is to fall asleep in front of the TV. But I’m coming to realize this habit has evolved into an addiction— enjoyable, but far too time-consuming. Let’s devote our time and energy to things that last; on what really matters to God. Because nothing else will endure. And that’s something to “chew on.”
Ponder:
At what times or circumstances do you find yourself focusing too much on things that last?
What brings you back to pursuing things that last forever?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Matthew 16:24-27.
“Lord, I realize I’m so susceptible to the lure of things that won’t last. Please refocus my thoughts and actions on things that last.”
(Photo courtesy of: healthline.com)