It is the way of the world (and very naturally) to make much of any matter pertaining to this life--eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage; to harp on the material things, the welfare of the body and the mind, industrial and social affairs. These are of paramount importance to "men of the world, whose portion is in this life." (Ps. 17:14.) These engross their thought and call forth their best efforts. Over these they become greatly wrought up. Immersed in these affairs up to their ears will they be found in the day when the Son of man shall be revealed. (Luke 17:26-30.) Money and labor, traffic and industry, science and invention, politics, and governmental, socialistic, and communistic schemes for the betterment of earthly conditions--these are the topics beside which others pale away. The final beneficiary of all this stir is, we are reliably informed, "the belly." (Phil. 3:19.) But that unworldly generation, which though living in the world are not of the world, whose citizenship is in heaven, whence also they look for the true hope of mankind, are of another turn. To them the things of the Spirit, the things of God, the things of eternity, compose the overshadowing issue. Eat and [100] drink, buy and sell, plant and build, they must and may; but God comes first though all else be lost. Though filling their place in the world efficiently, working and doing their duty as God directed, they hold those earthly matters lightly, as being only a temporary makeshift, and are not greatly exercised over them. The will and kingdom of God comes first though every worldly prospect fail. The saving of souls, the redeeming of ruined lives unto God; the service and worship and praise of him--these things consume their thought and interest and emotion. And of all people they alone are really sane. They alone see things in proper proportion and according to their relative importance. The Lord increase our faith and give us such a spirit as that, that when Jesus comes we may be found waiting for him, our minds set on things above, not on things of the earth. (Col. 3:1-3.)

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