The price of a soul

I was forced to do a lot of soul-searching during the past few weeks. This was brought about by a spate I had with a Christian businessman, who had been acting irresponsibly and was costing my family money, time and a lot of pain. It is one thing to talk in idealistic terms about biblical principles, but it is putting them into practice in the day-to-day grind of life that becomes the actual challenge. One of the issues I have learnt to let go off is revenge – if someone hurt me, I love the ‘don’t get mad, get even’ view. But the fact is this not godly. Jesus said it was better to play the fool than sin, advocating turning the other cheek literally when slapped. Finally, after discussing with a group of Christian friends about if it was right to get the police involved, I finally did, and things were resolved quickly and in my favour. 

But what struck me powerfully during the whole process was how quickly we develop tunnel vision in such instances as we try to protect the rubble that we call “our possession”.

Lest I am misunderstood, I believe that if someone acts like a criminal, he should be made to face the law because religion has been a ruse for many things that are completely ungodly. But many times, we get into the mindset that the person who stands in the way of our happiness, our prosperity, our progress and our lives, should suffer, and should even die – because we are angry and/or upset about our loss – or its possibility.

The real issue underlining that perspective, many times, and shamefully, is a carnal lust for the temporary.

I know people who pray that witches should die, or pray that those who rob them should suffer for the rest of their lives or die. During the challenge I talked about, at some point, I felt like using scripture to justify placing a curse. But let’s imagine a witch wants to destroy you for a second. I am assuming you are a disciple of Christ who LIVES to please him. 1 John 5: 18 says: We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. It comes down to you to believe that or not, because that statement shows that you cannot be touched – except God permits it. So you are actually safe and untouchable in GOD.

But what happens to the witch/wizard who is under the illusion that you can be harmed – or the swindler whose death you pray for? In the event of their death, the demons that may be in them leave them to find another host, but that soul that dies in sin goes to hell – forever. Now, just weigh a soul burning for a million years with no hope for redemption against the cost of a laptop that was stolen, or a business contract you think a witch wants to ‘destroy’ or your “progress” which is just another name for more earthly possession and/or status – and which in time will be lost anyway. The earth will pass away and it is not where we are meant to have our real ‘treasures’.

In addition to that, that soul was died for by Christ. He left it all behind and came to die for that man or women you really hate and are angered about. You know why?

He believed they were worth it.

He believed they ARE of more value than your money, or your house, or your office promotion, or any such things we fight for, lust for, scheme for, kill for and even die for –even when we use God’s name to mask our greed. 

In truth, the temporal should never be more valued than the eternal…ever!