If you have not been following this blog, I’m taking 1 resolution of the famous American preacher, Jonathan Edwards, each day and reflecting on it. If you have not already learned this, Edwards was a different guy. Different in his devotion, different in his discipline and in plenty of other ways. Edwards’ 22nd resolution was…

Resolved, To endeavour to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigour, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

Did you see what he’s talking about there? He’s talking about heaven! I’ve never heard anyone talk like that. Edwards is saying that he not only thought about heaven but that heaven was his retirement plan. He knew that his most important investments were not in this temporal world but rather…in the next.

I have to be honest and say that I don’t live that way. I think about heaven and I know that I’m going there because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I’m also aware of the fact that the Bible speaks about rewards in heaven (see 1 Cor. 3) but this is whole notha’ level.

I will personally have to think about this resolution more but do you think Edwards was being a little too extreme? I know that my knee jerk reaction is to feel that way but maybe he was onto something. If this life is temporal at best then why do we spend the majority of our energy investing in things that won’t outlast the grave?

I do know that one thing on this earth will last beyond the grave and that’s you and me. Our investments in relationships will not be wasted. God cares about people very much and how we treat them here has a lot to do with our very reason for existing. I also know that the most important relationship is our one with God so I know that every investment there will not return void. 

The lesson for all of us here is to think about where we invest our time, talent and treasure. What’s the best R.O.I we can get? Why not go for it?