Don't waste your life

A few weeks ago, I found out that John Piper (one of my favorite thinkers/speakers/writers) was going to be speaking in San Luis Obispo. I thought about driving to the conference, but by the time I remembered to look into it, the event was sold out, and people were going to have to sit in a satellite room and watch a video feed.

Piper posts all of his sermons in video, audio, and text forms on his website, and he blogs at least once a day. So, I just decided to watch the videos later, since it's a 4 hour drive from here and I would need to find a place to stay had I gone to the conference.

Tonight I've been watching the first talk. The conference is based on his book, Don't Waste Your Life. At one point, he is talking about how a passage in the gospels and a passage that Paul wrote are talking about the same thing. It was a huge insight for me to hear.

In Luke 12:15-21, Jesus tells the parable of the man who had a lot of stuff, and built a bigger barn to keep it all in. It says, "(18) And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ (20) But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ (21) So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

I've read that passage before and thought about how we need to use our stuff for the Kingdom of God, and not for our own couch-potato tendencies. I know that we shouldn't waste our life, but I love what Piper points out next.

He brings up 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, which says, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (18) Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (19) If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."

Piper asks how many American Christians, if they died and found out there was no resurrection would be able to look back at their life and see it as a waste. (He does point out that you wouldn't be able to look back since there is no resurrection).

That is a jarring thought. We should be living in such a way that if Jesus is a fraud, if Christianity is untrue that we have wasted our lives. Our lives should appear as a waste to those who do not believe in Jesus. We should be so sold-out for Him that in the world's eyes, we're wasting our lives.

Were I to die and go to an eternal nothingness, I would want to be able to say, "What a waste. Why didn't I live life to the full?" But since I know there is a resurrection, since I know Jesus is real, I know that by emptying myself (just as Jesus did), I will be filled with what's really best, and what brings real joy and real pleasure and real satisfaction.

Piper talks about how we need to not waste our money, our cancer, our robbery (being robbed), our youth, our retirement. Everything has to be done for the glory of God. I love this stuff so much. I wish everyone would watch it and listen to it and study it.

My prayer is that Jesus would continue to ruin my life.