Only one life, it will soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last.

The New Testament author James observes that life is very temporary compared to eternity: What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes (James 4:14).

Not only is life temporary, but everything you stockpile in this life is also lost when you die. Several millennia ago, Job rightly observed: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart (Job 1:21).

Since life is fleeting and possessions are worthless at the end of life, Jesus wisely instructs us not to amass treasures on earth: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-20).

Instead of spending your life to build up things that are like the morning dew, use your life to store up for yourselves treasures in heaven—lasting treasures. How do we do that? By glorifying Christ in life and in death.

The Apostle Paul demonstrates in Philippians 3:7-8 his passion for living life to do what lasts into eternity: But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Paul willingly exchanged earthly profit, which doesn't last, for eternal gain (see 1 Corinthians 2:2).

The Apostle Paul, seeing that the gospel has gone forth and that the foundation, which is Christ, has been laid, teaches how we should build upon that foundation: According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15 ESV)

Don't spend your life to gain things that are no more permanent than mist. Use your brief voice to magnify and exclaim the glory of God (Isaiah 43:7; Psalm 90:14; 1 Corinthians 10:31). You have... Only one life, it will soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last.

[Weekly Wisdom - ChristNotes.org]