We trade a short lifetime for our eternal time with God.

Our God’s generosity promises us a long time to enjoy His Presence.  He calls this time eternity.  In the same way, God gives us a short time to prepare ourselves for this eternity. This short period is called our lifetime.  This lifetime is not about the quantity of our years, but the quality we give to each year that matters.

During our lifetime, God asks us to love Him, but more particularly, God asks us to love everyone we meet along the way even more.  God calls this love of our neighbor service.  He asks that we help those who need support and that we lift up those less fortunate than ourselves.

He also suggests that we make sure those around us are well fed, never grow thirsty, and have enough clothing to stay warm.  God is asking us to look after each other.  And God wants us to do this in the brief lifetime we have before us.

God also adds that if we harm another in our brief lifetime to make amends for it.  And if we ourselves are harmed, to show mercy by forgiving this wrong.  God desires us to be tolerant of the differences we see in others. If people look different, we accept these differences with kindness and acceptance. If strangers wander into our surroundings, we turn them into neighbors with understanding and patience. We never push another away or shun them.

What God is really asking us is to go the extra mile in all things. He wants more than what is standard. He wants us to see people first. If we see hurting people who need healing, invite them to share and offer them healing in our short lives. In the same manner that the Good Samaritan cared for his wounded neighbor he found on the road he was traveling, we asked to care for our families, our friends, and the strangers we meet.

For when we do, Matthew 25:31 reminds us of what our Father will say: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Come you are the blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you…”

Doesn’t this seem like a small price to enjoy our God for as long as we can now, and be happy with Him for all eternity?