2nd Corinthians 4:18

One person carves a beautiful ice sculpture; and another carves the same image in marble. The first will quickly melt away, and the other will last for ages to come. Both artists are skilled, but the material makes all the difference. While ice makes a beautiful crystal image it does not last long, but the marble is enduring.

We can be masters at exhausting our lives on things that last only a short time. Investing ourselves in pleasure and the interest of this world only is like carving out our lives in ice. It is all good for a while, but it melts away.

Moses had the choice to live as a prince in a palace, or to live the life of a vagabond. The Bible says that he chose to suffer with God’s people, rather than to enjoy the pleasure of sin that only last for a little while. Jesus taught us to invest our lives in Heaven:

“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.” Matthew 6:20 Msg.

We choose how we will build our life. We also select the material from which it is made. If we choose only the things that lend to outward beauty and pleasure, we must remember that they will soon be gone. Lives that last are the ones that are built on the solid rock of Jesus. The hymn says it well:

“Displaying kindness everywhere, Mercy and love was His to share,
And like this Man of Galilee I want to be.
To be like Jesus, To be like Jesus, All I ask to be like Him.
All through life’s journey from earth to Glory, All I ask to be like Him.”