What Are We Pursuing?

Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. [John 12.25-26] 

Jesus could not have been more clear. "Life" is not what living is all about.

Every pursuit of "life" in this world must be questioned by a follower of Jesus.

Because of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, human life became tainted. Sin and death became the best-case-scenario outcomes of life. Life no longer reflected the glory of God. No matter how much wealth, security, health, and convenience any human being ever amasses (sought out from the idols of debt, insurance, medicine and technology), their life has or will still end in death because of sin. Therefore, the pursuit of life is a fool's errand.

For the reason in the previous paragraph, and the statement Jesus made in the subject passage above, it should be concluded that the pursuit of life is futile but the pursuit of eternal life is wise. 

The context of the subject passage above is Jesus' entry into Jerusalem where He would eventually be arrested, falsely accused, condemned to die, beaten beyond recognition, and crucified. In other words, Jesus knew what He was talking about. His pursuit of eternal life for the world could be achieved no other way. 

What Jesus said in the subject passage is consistent with what He'd been saying all along:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

A cross, Jesus' or ours, is not about earthly life - in fact, it's about eternal life, albeit attained through earthly death. And, it is the ONLY way to enjoy the redemption provided by Jesus Christ because He is the only Way to God. 

What Jesus said in the subject passage above is consistent: to be focused on earthly life is the recipe for eternal disaster. To the contrary, to be focused on eternal life is the Way to God - the way to heaven.

We should think about these things when we pay oppressive interest on debt, unbearable insurance premiums, "unavoidable" prescription costs, and repetitive and ever-increasing prices for the latest and greatest gadgetry. What are we pursuing?

In an earlier setting, Jesus said:

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? [Mark 8.36]

Debt, insurance, medicine and technology won't quote these words of Jesus in their advertisements, will they? Of course they won't because they can't - it would be suicide! Their strength is in keeping their patrons' eyes off Jesus and on themselves.

Father, help us break free from our idolatry with "life."  So be it.