Put in Perspective

Two recent stories in the news have put some things in perspective, or at least should do so. Both involve high-profile people. One is former star quarterback, Todd Marinovich. He was recently arrested on drug charges. In the early 1990s, he was the starting quarterback for the high powered University of Southern California Trojans. He was a first round draft pick of the Los Angeles (now Oakland) Raiders. He was on top of the world. His NFL career last two years longer than mine. He then bounced around the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League. Now he has taken to skateboarding on the pier and running from police. What happened? He was the star, the big man. Hearing the story reminded me of the passage from the prophet Isaiah that says:

6 A voice says, "Cry out."
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

7 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever." (Is. 40:6-8, NIV)

Our lives are fleeting. We are on earth such a short time. Fame is even worse. It doesn't last. To be honest, Todd Marinovich had passed from my memory and conscience.

The other story that caught my attention was the will of Leona Helmsley that left $12,000,000 to her dog. All the wealth that she amassed over her life, stayed hear on earth, while she passed on. This reminds of the passage from Ecclesiastes 9:5, "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten."

The stuff we work and fight for often really do not amount to much in the grand scheme of things. In view of eternity, we often live for nothing. Our wealth will rot, when we die. Our houses, cars and other possession will rust or become a heap of garbage.

What are we living for that has eternal consequences?