Luk. 9:25 ... "For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?"
A question everyone should ask himself is this, "What is my major goal in life?" It seems everyone has an objective of some kind toward which he is aiming, and it is important to identify it clearly to determine its worthiness. It is also important to become aware of such factors as the cost involved (not necessarily financial) and the nature of the rewards it offers. Although it may be argued that some people have no discernible goal and only drift along from day to day, it may also be counter-argued that their objective is quite real, that it is to avoid responsibility with its exacting involvements. It may therefore be said that literally everyone of sound mind indeed has some kind of goal toward which he is pointing his life.
In the text quoted above Jesus addresses this fundamental concern by indicating that certain objectives are not worth achieving. In other words, among the goals for which people strive, there are some that cost too much for the effort and pay rewards that will not satisfy. The objective one might have is that named by Jesus, to "gain the whole world." But the cost is the person's very life, and the reward is being forfeited. This seems to mean losing one's present physical life and also giving up his future spiritual life. In essence Jesus asks, "Is it worth it?" The stark reality of this choice is critical, because all of us are to some degree involved in it. Few will ever construct the design of literally gaining the whole world, but each of us has some vision of a small, limited "world" we would like to conquer and then possess. Without evaluating our priorities and being critical of our own ambitions, it is easy for us to commit our lives to such a goal without realizing, or even caring, what it will cost or what consequences will ensue.
Many people set their sights on a "world" that encompasses a particular career or profession that seems glorious, prestigious, and lucrative. So, they sacrifice their family, religion, and sometimes their health to gain and possess that little world. The glorious aura that surrounds being powerful and prestigious as a statesman, business executive, entertainer, professional athlete, or whatever, may be intoxicatingly wonderful. But what lies beyond that? Many who have excelled in these positions finally tired of it, turned away, and sought something else while enough of life remained to seek it. Others who succeeded also lost interest in what they gained, but nevertheless continued in it to a bitter end because it seemed shameful to repudiate and abandon it.
This is not to say one should not desire to have such goals and even make great sacrifices to achieve them. How could civilization continue without physicians, educators, business leaders, and statesmen? What is vitally important is the recognition that such goals (or any others) must never be the primary ones in our lives. To gain and possess any of the small "worlds" as a singular objective is to ignore, and forfeit, the infinite world that begins at death. Our greatest objective must be that infinite world and make every sacrifice to gain entrance into the part of it that Scripture calls "eternal life." The sacrifice required is clearly stated by Jesus in His statement just preceding Luk. 9:25, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Above all things one should submit his life to Jesus, develop his character according to the teachings of Jesus, and serve Him on a daily basis. Or, to paraphrase an ancient directive, each of us should reverence God to the utmost and devote ourselves to living by the guideline of His gospel, (Ecl. 12:13). Those who do not devote their lives thereunto come out as a failure in life, no matter what else they may achieve. Success in any dimension of human activity is ultimately bankrupt if it is not secondary to devotion to God.
