"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain" (James 4:13).

These are days in which many people are overly consumed with the desire to "get gain" and acquire monetary wealth, whether in the stock market or land speculation or by becoming a star in music or entertainment or athletics, or whatever. But this is foolish. Jesus said, "For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26).

Of far greater value than any worldly riches we could gain are the souls we can gain for Christ by faithfully living, serving, and witnessing for Him, wherever and however we can. This was Paul's goal. "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some" (I Corinthians 9:19-22).

Earthly riches can be squandered or lost or stolen, but heavenly riches are eternal. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth," Jesus said. . . . "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:20-21).

Finally, when this life is done after living it for Christ will come the greatest gain of all. "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). HMM