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Only one life will soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last.
The New Testament author James observes that life is very temporary compared to eternity: "whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:14).

Not only is life temporary, but everything you stockpile in this life is also lost when you die. Several millennia ago, Job rightly observed: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart" (Job 1:21).

Since life is fleeting and possessions are worthless at the end of life, Jesus wisely instructs us not to amass treasures on earth: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).

Instead of spending your life building things like the morning dew, use your life to store up for yourselves treasures in heaven—lasting treasures. How do we do that? By glorifying Christ in life and death.

The Apostle St. Paul demonstrates in Philippians 3:7-8 his passion for living life to do what lasts into eternity: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ." St. Paul willingly exchanged earthly profit, which doesn't last, for eternal gain (see 1 Corinthians 2:2).

Don't spend your life to gain things that are no more permanent than mist. Use your brief voice to magnify and exclaim the glory of God (Isaiah 43:7; Psalm 90:14; 1 Corinthians 10:31). You have... Only one life, it will soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last.