¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever. (1 John 2:15-17 CSB)

This is a hard passage for our materialistic generation. Everything about this world drives us to want more, more, more. But in our striving for everything we tend to miss the most important things.

I spent a large span of my kids early lives burning both ends of the candle. I imagined that it was for their good that I worked so many hours. Now that they are grown and gone I truly feel what I missed in those early days.

I should have worked less, experienced more with my family. Yes, I have a good career to show for it, but that is nothing I can take to my grave. The experiences I could have given them of my time and my presence would have meant more to us all.

I can say this now as always, hind sight is 20/20.

So too I know, now that I have a slightly greater wisdom of years, that today’s scripture cuts to the heart of the matter. What this world is all about is the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. We put too much stock in these things and far too little into what truly counts.

…And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

We build our legacy not with what we have, but by who we are and how we are with others.