I came across this quote in a book im reading by Elizabeth Elliot.


"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose" - Jim Elliot


Elizabeth and Jim Elliot are a couple, both missionaries sent to Ecuador in the 1950s. Jim Elliot was killed in his 20s, along with four other missionaries, while trying to spread the Gospel to the Quichua Indians. They were a very hostile tribe at that time and so it was a big risk that the missionaries took, in attempting to make contact with them. Following Jim Elliot's death 1956, his widow Elizabeth continued his mission with the Quichua Indians, which resulted in the conversion of many of the Indians, including some of the few who had massacred the five missionaries.


Jim Elliot's quote reminds me of verse in Luke 17:33.


"Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it"
"凡想要保全生命的，必丧掉生命；凡丧掉生命的，必救活生命"


There are so many things that we want in life - good grades, high-flying career, a comfortable life, financial security, our life partners, our family and friends, society's recognition and etc. But i was reflecting on this verse and i think it means that whoever tries to keep his life (worldly life - as in to hold on to the worldly things and comforts), will lose it (eternal life), and whoever loses his life (as in setting his sights on a higher purpose rather than focusing on what is on earth) will preserve it ( his life - meaning eternal life).


Its a sobering reminder that we have to learn to put God as first and foremost, and not the things of the world that draws us. Because if we focus on what is temporal, we will lose what is eternal. Only if we are willing to learn to fight our daily little temptations and learn to focus on what is eternal will we gain what is eternal.


I think its really not easy - its already quite tough to constantly strive to behave differently from our non-Christian friends, to strive behave the way that we should as Christians because we are set apart for God. But to learn to put God first and foremost is still something that i have to struggle with everyday and constantly remind myself. The temptations on all aspects are really too strong. There are too many things that distract us from spending time with God everyday, in reading His Word, and in praying etc. For me, sometimes the distraction come in the form of wanting to play computer games at night, and then dozing off after that because im too tired for QT. Not to say that computer games are totally bad or what, but if it interferes with my doing QT, perhaps i need to reconsider changing my QT timeslot. Or to play computer games at other times of the day instead.


And ya, i think this is something i have to constantly remind myself about - to not set my sight on what is temporal, but to learn to set my sight on what is eternal - God. Because, in the words of Jim Elliot, we are not fools to lose what we cannot keep with us forever, in the pursuit of a goal that is for eternity.

=)