Vanishing Before Our Very Eyes - By Dan McDonald

James 4:13-17 tells us how short our lives are, and he compares them to "a vapor." We see the mist for mere seconds, then it vanishes before our eyes! Our lives are given to us for a few years...then we're gone. J.I. Packer once wrote, "we are all children of our age, and the spirit of OUR age is a spirit of tearing hurry. And it is a pragmatic spirit; it is a spirit that demands quick results." God has made us stewards over our lives. A day of reckoning will come when God will check up on us and evaluate our management skills. I think what happens so many times is that we tend to have the attitude James was talking about in verse 13 of chapter 4: "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit." He goes on to say/ask how can you even make such decisions when you don't know whether you'll be here tomorrow or not? This is not to say we aren't to set goals - God is very clear on "counting the cost," Prov. 4:26: "ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established." However, the problem comes when we tend to fall in love with an ability to maximize resources, instead of remembering that the point of stewardship is NOT productivity but accountability. In other words, we are not to do more "maximizing" until we have been faithful and productive with what God has given to us at this very moment. Businesses often fall apart because their visions become so great, yet they fail to manage, take care of, nurture, etc. what's right in front of them. This can apply to all areas of life: our families, friends, and yes, even our fellowships (our churches). Let's be prudent with what God has given to us right now - at this very moment before it vanishes...then if the Lord wills or God willing when we have appropriately managed what He has given, "go to such and such a city...and make a profit."