What do we all have that come in all different sizes, while some smell better than others? Souls. And not just the ones on your feet.
The soul is defined as a "the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal" (it's odd to me they toss 'animal' in there, but hey, I guess all dogs go to heaven). I had to look this up because I really wasn't sure exactly what the soul was/is. To be honest; it's super difficult to define the differences between the heart, the mind and the soul. They all seem to be so intertwined and interchangeably used that it is hard to define the differences, especially between the heart and the soul. You may or may not believe in having a soul. If you believe in an afterlife, you probably do, and if you don't believe in an afterlife, you probably don't. I, however, do believe in a soul.
I remember reading/watching the Harry Potter series growing up and seeing these creatures called dementors suck out people's souls as a form of punishment greater than death (did anyone else notice they never went for Ron?). It would allow a person to live, but not really "live." In a way, it reveals a bit of how vital a soul is to a human life. I remember reading my Bible and hearing pastors and teachers talk about the soul nearly every week in some form or fashion. The soul seemed important; it was eternal and the driver of life's purpose.
It's with the soul that we do life. Through the soul and from the soul come energy and intensity, so how can someone harness that energy and intensity and not lose it? To lose the soul is worse than gaining the world. How can we keep it safe?
Focus on eternity.
If the soul is the eternal piece of a human, then that's the part that never dies, and that's the part that should matter. However, how much harder is it to focus on eternity and put it into perspective? It's incredibly difficult. It blows my mind just trying to imagine eternity. I have a hard enough time imagining next week, much less 3,000 years from now in a Place I believe to be real but, in reality, have a hard time imagining. Focusing on eternity is difficult because it's difficult to concentrate on something we can only begin to comprehend.
Jesus questions, "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" Basically, gaining all of the money, pleasure and power of the world brings no lasting benefit if someone loses his soul to spiritual death and separation from eternity to gain it. Focus on gaining eternity, on gaining soul, not the world. In eternity, nothing worldly gained matters. In the end, you can't take anything with you. The world isn't worth the cost of eternity. Thank God, the cost for Eternity has already been paid.
-Cliff
Cliff's Note: The world isn't worth the cost of eternity. Thank God, the cost for Eternity has already been paid.