Transparent Treasures

What if we got an email from God today that said, "Effective Sunday at 1900 hours, everything you have and everyone you love will disappear."?

What would you do?

Would you go shopping and buy more stuff?

Would you try on all the outfits in your closet that you never wear?

Would you go into the basement and utilize all the appliances you haven't used in decades?

Would you fill your shopping cart with last-minute online deals?

Would you spend hours on your phone watching videos, ignoring the real world around you?

Would you scroll through the highlight reels coveting and comparing yourself to everyone else's life while you become one with your couch?

Would you spend hours alone - overthinking, regretting, and worrying?

I'm guessing not.

When faced with the truth that life expires, all the trivial stuff that distracted us and the treasures we stockpiled will become transparent and irrelevant.

The harsh reality of our mortality reminds us of what really matters.

Trinkets and time-wasters don't have any value to us anymore.

Spending as much time as humanly possible with the people we love is the only thing that matters.

All the grievances will fade away, and we will huddle close and embrace as we laugh, cry, and cling to gratitude for every minute we have together.

We will look around at the world we took for granted and admire everything we see, feel, hear, taste, and touch with renewed thankfulness.

Although we don't get emails like that (thank goodness), the truth remains that our lives will all be over at some point, and everything we have and everyone we know will disappear.

This reality hits us hard when someone we love passes away.

What we wouldn't give for just one more moment with them.

We wouldn't squander it, we swear.

We wouldn't disregard their texts or let the call go to voicemail because we are busy.

We wouldn't ignore them while we stare at our phones.

We wouldn't let grievances keep us apart.

We wouldn't focus on purchases instead of people.

So why not enact that kind of grateful, connected living now?

As we go about our day today, let's look around with the kind of thankful awe that one would be filled with on their last day.

Let's put our phones down and empty our shopping carts.

Let's let grievances fall away and embrace those we love and cherish.

Let's be grateful for the gift of today and all the blessings of the people in our lives.

Let's be filled with praise to God for everyone we have in our lives.

Thank You, God, for this beautiful life you have given us.

Psalm 118:24

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Ephesians 1:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.