A Focus of Priorities

Understanding “The End”

It is hard for human beings to comprehend the End as it is promised to come according to the Bible. The removal of all that is known to man – the physical “heavens and earth” – and the replacing with the eternal and spiritual is beyond our known experience. Perhaps, the only means at our disposal to have any glimpse of understanding such an experience may be found in how one prepares for an earthly catastrophe.

Now, this is not to imply that the End will be a catastrophe per se, but for many it will be the worst catastrophe imaginable. However, there are certain parallels found in the true focusing of one’s own priorities. For instance, when facing a disaster, be it natural (hurricane, earthquake, tsunami, etc.) or be it man-caused (war, terrorism, economic collapse, etc.) certain parts of life matter less than before.

Examples

Entertainment

When the choice is presented between physical survival and temporal entertainment, survival always wins. The trappings of Hollywood celebrity gossip or most recent incarnations of literary heroes take a back seat to finding food and shelter.

Consumerism

When the choice is presented between a fancy piece of technology and survival, survival always wins. The great new features of the year’s newest cell phone are found lacking when there is no source to power the phone, no service to support it, and no one to call anyway.

Long-term planning

When the choice is presented between a more comfortable later future and survival, survival always wins. The comforts of a happy retirement or a later time of ease are only worthwhile if you can remain alive long enough to see it.

The refocusing of priorities tends to appear in the world when the truth of reality hits home in a very real and direct way. While the pursuit of entertainment, consumerism, etc. are not wrong in and of themselves, it is striking how little real value they hold when survival is all that matters. So, why do so few people embrace such an attitude when facing eternal survival? The truth is, for all men and women everywhere: their very souls are in grave jeopardy.

We may never see a true global catastrophe in our time, but they have happened throughout history. We will, however, one day face the greatest “catastrophe” for the temporal universe. How are our priorities focused to face such an End? Do we favor survival?