It's easy in the day to day trivia of life to lose track of how it all relates to long-term goals. If we could project ourselves 1,000 years into the future and, from that vantage point, look at our lives as they are now, much that we regard as important would be insignificant.
We're not just grains of sand being blown about in the winds of eternity; we have been given the ability to make choices, choices that have eternal consequences.
It's easy to think the big decisions are limited to giants, generals, and geniuses. Consequently, most of us never consider doing something great with our lives, or if we do, the dream fades with the first distraction.
We read of people like St. Paul, Constantine, St. Francis, Martin Luther, Hudson Taylor, David Livingstone, John Wesley, Sister Teresa, and it's easy to think that all the great frontiers have all been conquered. But this is not so.
For starters, the big names in man's history of the church may not be the big names in God's account. And history is ultimately His story. Men like Constantine and Luther often achieved fame by using political and economic forces which were not consistent with the teachings of Jesus.
Some of the other 'giants' were ordinary people who simply gave their all in love for God and man... something that any of us can do.
We believe that what will feature in God's story of this period in history will be a return to New Testament principles of living by faith: forsaking all, living together, and giving our lives in love for others daily.
There have been experiments along these lines throughout church history, but what will make this so important in a few years is that it will be the only way a Christian can survive... as godless totalitarianism tightens its grip on the world economy.
Whether you accept this part of the theory doesn't matter. What is undeniable is that true faith, honesty, and love are extremely rare today. (Matthew 24:12; Luke 18:8) And yet the future of mankind literally depends on a small handful of people who are committed to these values. You can achieve greatness by joining this tiny army.
The church world today is full of those hungering and thirsting after wealth, health, power, fame, and emotional thrills... but you would do well to find one in 50,000 who hungers for the truth.
We are becoming increasingly aware of the historic responsibility that rests on us as seekers after truth. We could easily fail, through pride, greed, or some other deception of the devil, but if we stay tuned to God's Spirit, he will make whatever adjustments are necessary to keep us on the track to historic, eternal greatness.
(See also Positions Vacant, Eternity.)
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