When we come into this physical life, we are gifted a certain number of breaths. These breaths correlate to a measure of time counted by seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. This is our real capital. We may think that the most important pursuit of life is the financial exchange of making money and spending it. But when we look at the big picture, the most important pursuit of life is making the best use of the time we have been given. We are here to accumulate spiritual wealth. Instead, we have been caught up by the attractive and colourful sights of this world that we think will bring monetary gain. At the end of this life, we will find that we have worked for the wrong goal, and that we will leave this world with nothing.
The fact is clear: no matter what we do with our life, it will end one day. If we choose to play the game of life by investing all our time in the acquisition of wealth and property, we will be forced to leave it all behind in the end. When our last breath is taken, we must hand over our bank accounts and properties to those we are leaving behind. It would stay on in this world, while our soul departs.
It is true, no doubt, that the world is based on an economic system in which we have to work to make a living to exchange it for the goods and services we need to take care of ourselves and our family. Spirituality does not require us to negate life and live off others, but rather to earn our own honest livelihood. But we should seek a healthy balance. We need to take stock of our money and our land, but we also need to take stock of how we spend our time.
Real happiness is finding joy and contentment in life. Most people, when faced with a terminal disease, no longer care about money. The things that matter to them are their family, what they have accomplished in life, and their faith in God. These are intangible gifts. Love becomes more important. Love for their family, love for God, and what they did to express their love for humanity are the gifts they take with them into the beyond.
So how best can we use our time? If we know that this life is but a small part of our existence, and that as a soul we have an existence that extended before this life and will extend beyond this life, then what is valued in the rest of our eternal existence?
THE COMMODITY OF LOVE
The commodity that is most valued in the realms beyond this world, to which we all will go, is spiritual love. The soul is measured not by our financial records, but by the amount of love we have radiated to others. Did we love God? Did we love our fellow beings? Did we love all creation? Love is translated into thoughts, words, and deeds that are expressed in kindness to others. It is expressed in how much we care about others. It is demonstrated by how much we give of ourselves to help or serve others.
WHICH GAME SHOULD WE PLAY?
As children, a popular game was Monopoly, in which one circles a game board through the throw of the dice. In this game, one lands on spaces with the names of properties. Players are given cash to spend and they can buy the property with that cash. Then, they are able to build homes and hotels on that property and charge rent each time another player lands on that spot. This game is quite long and children can spend hours engaged in it. It is so engaging they often forget about their homework or other sports. This game of high finances is very similar to the game of the world, which has little to do with the true game of God.
God has another game going on. It is a game based on the law of love. It is a game in which God loves us and wants us to love God back. This love is not only between God and each created being, it is also about loving the entire family of God. God wants us to play the game of godly love.
WHAT IS GOD’S GAME OF LOVE?
It is the game wherein we experience God’s love for ourselves and radiate that love to all around us. God is an ocean of bliss and love. When we connect with God, we are bathed in that ecstasy. It is more enjoyable than any game in this world. It is happiness far beyond any possible joy in this world. We can play God’s game of love through meditation, the process of taking our attention away from the world outside and focusing it within. It is through God’s game of love that we experience the riches that lie latent within us, which bring us unfathomable joy, light and bliss.