I like a bargain as much as the next person. When I heard about the local fire sale set for Friday, I decided to go by Dollar General for a look.

When I arrived at the store, there were cars parked in all directions for nearly two blocks. As I stepped into the front of the business, I could see people literally jammed together searching through the aisles for various smoke-damaged items. It was dark, dirty and smelled like an old cigarette. The check-out lines were incredibly long.

As I stood there in the doorway, I was suddenly struck with a thought: “Why is it that we as people will crowd a store on FRIDAY morning so that we can save a quarter on every dollar, but we won’t crowd the church building on SUNDAY morning in order to save our souls?”

One day all our material goods will be burned up (2 Peter 3:10, 11) and all of the effort we exerted in securing them will be lost forever. Those bargains we sought so diligently to obtain will be no more. On the other hand, the effort that we employed in laying hold on that which is imperishable (1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Corinthians 4:18) will be rewarded with eternal life.

Jesus said, “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul” (Matthew 16:26). Dear reader, what is of real value to you?

by Mike Benson