The Rule Of The 1/16th

“So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain, IT TAKES AWAY THE LIFE OF ITS OWNERS.” Proverbs 1:19 When a man comes to the end of life, he may look back and evaluate all that made up his life. He may realize that the pursuit of wealth, if that is what meant most to him, has consumed a selfish life - and that life is empty of real value. He has money. But he is poor. He used his energies seeking wealth, but he dies empty. True is the saying, “Some people are so poor, all they have is money.” That’s all they have. What a waste of a human life. When a man is filled with the love of money, usually that’s pretty much all he thinks about. Family suffers because he’s not thinking about love or relationships, he doesn’t have time for that. At the end of his life, he will realize that he gave up his life in order to follow that one obsession, and now at the end of life, he realizes he really had no life. Both the rich and the poor come to the same end. If the grave of one is more ornate than the grave of the other, what does it matter? The rich man is all about investments. He doesn’t put all his eggs into one basket, he knows there is more safety in spreading his money across many investment plans. His mind spins with watching charts, watching statistics, talking to experts, reading the books of other wealthy men, running, running, running to find the best places and learn the best strategies to increase the value of his wealth. What a fool. On a yardstick our life on earth is 1/16th of an inch, the rest is spent in eternity. How can a man so undervalue his life that he will spend it in the pursuit of wealth - to protect his 1/16th of life on earth? Why doesn’t he use that same principle to invest in his eternity which is so much longer? What the rich failed to take into consideration is the brevity of life. Seventy or eighty or even ninety years on this earth is a very small length of time in comparison to eternity. If our life on earth is 1/16th of an inch, of what value therefore is the life wasted in the pursuit of wealth? At the end it’s meaningless. It doesn’t satisfy - but many times it’s only at the end that a person realizes that. Even then some don't, and they go off into eternity with their wasted life. Soon this life will be over.Too soon the rich man will take his first step into eternity. Eternity is a very long time to have to live in regret. Jesus Christ addressed this very issue: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.” Matthew 6:19-21 “For where your treasure is…” Jesus spoke to the futility of laying up treasure on earth. One's wealth will always be uncertain and subject to loss. Knowing that, the rich man spends his life seeking how to protect his wealth. Jesus said though, that there is a better way. It only makes sense if you understand the rule of the 1/16th. Jesus pointed to eternity. He advises man to spend the 1/16th of his life here - invested in the eternal. He advised the believer to lay up TREASURE in heaven, where he’ll have it for all eternity. What an investment! It will last forever! Safe for all eternity! Furthermore, Jesus spoke to our needs in THIS life, while we're here in our 1/16th: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and ALL these things shall be ADDED to you!” Matthew 6:31-33 The wise man will think very seriously about the value of his life and legacy. Don't waste your life. Invest in treasure that will last forever.