Most people are probably familiar with the game show “Let’s Make A Deal.”

On the show, contestants dressed in costumes make deals with the host, choosing between an envelope or one of three doors—between what they have or what they hope is better. The studio cheers them on with advice. What no one wants is the dreaded “zonk,” a worthless but funny prize.

A Life Full of Choices

In many ways life is like “Let’s Make A Deal.”

Each day presents us with hundreds of choices. There are the obvious choices between right and wrong. Far more often, we choose between good and better, or between better and best.

Our “studio audience” is the world, the flesh, and the devil who freely offer their advice in each situation.

• Do we stay late at the office or get home in time for a family dinner?
• Order the burger and fries or the salad?
• Watch the game or help the kids with their homework?
• Hit the snooze or have our quiet time?
• Veg out in front of the TV or have a conversation?
• Answer the call or let it go to voicemail?
• Blow the horn or let it go?
• Exercise or read a book?
• Play a board game with our children or surf the web?
• Hold the door for the young mom with a stroller or pretend we didn’t see them?

None of these are necessarily right or wrong in every case. But these are the types of things about which we typically make the “New Year’s Resolutions.” These are also the resolutions that may last about four days.

Temporal or Eternal?

There may be another category or choices that we make daily without giving much thought at all, that being between the temporal and the eternal.

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus says:

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

He was making a clear distinction between this life—the temporal world in which we live—and that life—our eternal home in Heaven. The reality is that everything we do has the potential to lay up treasure somewhere.

1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Colossians 3:17 & 23 add: ”And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. And whatever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

Treasures of Earth

Simply put, the treasure we lay up on earth are the things that money can buy: material things, entertainment, pleasure, leisure. The treasure we lay up in Heaven are the things that money cannot buy: relationships, reputation, character.

The gravitational pull of the secular world in which we live, the insatiable lusts of our sin nature, and the non-stop lies of the devil beckon us to the instant gratification of earthly treasures. Technology and culture have us living in more seclusion than ever before.

People prefer to drive through fast-food restaurants and eat in their cars rather than eating with other people. Social media allows us to live in isolation while maintaining the illusion of social interaction. As Paul told Timothy regarding the last days “men will be lovers of themselves.” It really can become “all about me,” and what I want, need, and deserve—right now.

Treasures in Heaven

The love of God, the teachings of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit lead us in another direction. A life of investing this life in love of God and others reaps eternal rewards. This principle of sowing and reaping is far removed from this culture’s crave of instant gratification.

Laying up treasure in Heaven demands that we deny ourselves. It requires choices that defer what is most expedient for our wants, needs, and desires in order to give what is in the genuine best interest of others. This brings the most glory to God. When our studio audience screams it’s all about us, we must calmly disagree.

As we reach spiritual maturity, we make choices between this life or that life, temporal or eternal. A question we can learn to ask ourselves is: will this choice result in instant gratification or eternal dividends?

Making that a determining factor in the choices we make might just be a New Year’s Resolution worth keeping.

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.”  —2 Corinthians 4:18

The Castle

Her castle was oh so perfect,

Not a detail was out of place.

From the trinkets made of brass,

To the doilies made of lace.

 

Oh the hours that were invested,

The efforts had been so great.

But everything was perfect,

You see, it couldn’t wait.

 

Then she heard her Father call,

And she began to grieve.

But my castle is nearly finished!

The time had come to leave.

 

She stood beside the Crystal Sea

In this new and wonderful land.

And watched as waves of time below

Washed away the castle of sand.

 

Oh that I had only laid

My treasures up above.

But it was the things below

That I chose to love.

 

—Unknown