When my friend Leona Bryant discovered she had terminal cancer and only a short time to live, she told me of her radical change in perspective. “The most striking thing that’s happened,” she said, “is that I find myself totally uninterested in all the conversations about material things. Things used to matter to me, but now I find my thoughts are never on possessions, but always on Christ and people. I consider it a privilege to live each day knowing I’ll die soon. What a difference it makes!”

Leona was right. When we view our short today in light of the long tomorrow of eternity, even the little choices we make become tremendously important. After death, we will never have another chance to share Christ with one who can be saved, to give a cup of water to the thirsty, to serve our church. No wonder Scripture commands us, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Your life on earth is a dot. From that dot extends a line that goes on for all eternity. Right now you’re living in the dot. But what are you living for? Are you living for the dot or for the line? Are you living for earth or for heaven? Are you living for the short today or the long tomorrow? Let’s live now in light of eternity.