What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:36)
I’ve watched so many people pursue success, wealth, and power only to wind up unhappy, frustrated, and far from God. It is so easy to get caught up in trying to get everything possible from life and drift away from following after God. It’s been hard, just coming out of university and starting a job. I’m often tempted to give up the job I currently have, in order to find a job where I could potentially become more successful and make more money.
This verse is a reminder to me of what is really important. It makes me ask myself—What is more important to me: to gain all this material stuff, success, power, and admiration from the world or to keep my soul in the right place? Is it more important for me to seek after Jesus or to seek after the things of the world? Sometimes these questions are harder to answer than others. Some days, I don’t answer the questions the right way.
This passage from Mark 8 provides many questions to consider. Only we can answer these questions for ourselves. No one else can answer them for us. I know what I have written this week has challenged me in more ways than one. Together, let’s take time to consider these questions and really think about how we would answer each one.
Remember, following Jesus is more important than success ever will be.
Augustine Gidney is a Wesleyan pastor’s kid and recent graduate from Kingswood University, where she majored in counseling and children’s ministry.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.