A Clay Jar

Encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thess. 2:12 NIV)

Gain the World and Lose Your Soul

Mark 8:36

Published on:

Last Updated on:

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

Mark 8:36 NIV

We live in a very materialistic world, at least in the United States. We have so much stuff that we don’t even know where to put it all. Rented storage units are springing up all over the country to give us a place to stash the stuff that won’t fit into our ever-bigger houses. And the advertising industry continues to push ever harder, trying to make us feel like we are unfulfilled and deserve so much more than what we have.

And yet, are our lives really any better because of the abundance of all of our stuff? Or does the abundance of our possessions actually detract from what is really important? All too often, our things become our gods, and we sacrifice health, family, and an intimate relationship with God to obtain, maintain, and use them.

Jesus tells us, “what good is it to gain everything that this world has to offer while losing your soul, missing out on the glories of the life to come.” While there is nothing inherently wrong with much of the stuff we have, we need to be careful that we keep our priorities on the eternal rather than the earthly. On things that will last rather than things that are perishable and that we will lose when we leave this world behind.

Do you have any material possessions that would be devastating to lose, or that you would be unwilling to give up? If so, you should seriously examine Jesus’ words here. Hold loosely to the material things of this life. Don’t allow anything to come between you and eternal life in Christ. Don’t lose your soul for the sake of material goods.

Related Post

Additional Related Posts

If you have found value in this post, please consider sharing it with your friends.

Subscribe to A Clay Jar

If you have found value in this post, please consider subscribing to A Clay Jar so that you don't miss any other posts. 

Ed Jarrett

Just an old clay jar that God continues to see fit to use in his kingdom's work. I am retired, married with 2 children, and 4 grandchildren. I have followed Jesus for many years. And I love to share what He has given me from His word.

A Note to Readers

The views expressed here are solely mine and do not necessarily reflect those of any other person, group, or organization. While I believe they reflect the teachings of the Bible, I am a fallible human and subject to misunderstanding. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions about this post in the comments section below. I am always interested in your feedback.