When someone sets their eyes on eternity, it can move them do things that are out of the ordinary.

For example, I have a good friend who doesn’t own a TV. And then there’s my former roommate who left a successful and high-paying career in engineering to work with orphans in Africa. These friends have different stories, but they all have one thing in common: they have their eyes fixed firmly on heaven, and their lives reflect their kingdom priorities.

These life choices might seem strange to some—ridiculous even. These friends are not legalistic and they don’t point their fingers at others who don’t share the same convictions. After all, God calls us to different paths. But somewhere along the way, as they were walking with Jesus, He impressed upon their hearts a desire to put these things aside. And, putting things aside will naturally be a part of our stories as we fix our eyes on heaven.

Living Examples

Dan, my friend without a television, was convinced years ago that the hours he spent watching sitcoms and reality shows were a big waste of time in his life, so he and his wife decided to unplug their TV for good. Now his primetime lineup is filled with family, friends, and ministry opportunities. When you ask him if he misses any of his favorite programs, he just smiles and shakes his head.

Jesus led my old housemate, Tim, to make a much more drastic decision, one that required a change in his location, his paycheck, and his comfort. He’d be the first to tell you the world needs engineers. It’s just that, for him, Jesus had another assignment—serving orphans in South Africa. In one sense, he certainly gave up a lot, but he’s never had more joy.

A Biblical Example

These friends remind me a lot of John the Baptist. He had his eyes fixed on eternity, too. And for this reason, he made choices that led many people to think he was strange as well. These included wearing camel-skin clothes, snacking on locusts, calling sinners to turn to God, and then dunking those who responded into the Jordan River. As far as we know, John was no great prodigy. His own cousin was the Messiah, but it wasn’t until Jesus’ baptism that John recognized Him as such (see John 1:33). John knew nothing except a willingness to obey his Heavenly Father—and John obeyed no matter what He was told to do.

All that obedience put John on a straight path to prison, where he was eventually beheaded to settle a lustful party promise (see Matthew 14:1-12). By all earthly accounting, John was a failure—a weirdo who wasted his life and then got himself killed by ticking off the wrong people. But here’s how Jesus spoke of his cousin: “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11). Now, there’s the mark of a life well lived!

What About You?

In one sense, John’s calling was nothing unique. In fact, Jesus said, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). This doesn’t mean that we must all become homeless, but it does mean that we should hold on to what we have with a loose grip, ready to hand over to Jesus anything He may ask for. That’s part of what it means to keep our eyes on eternity—to focus on what really matters, not just what seems good at the moment. God’s call on your life may not look quite like His calling on John’s. My guess is that he is not asking you to dress up like Elijah, eat bugs, or live in the desert. But is he asking you to make some lifestyle changes in order to devote yourself more fully to Him? Perhaps he’s calling into vocational ministry—maybe even to missions.

Spend time with Jesus today. Be honest with Him. If there’s a part of your life you’re clutching tightly, ask Him to help you loosen your grip. Then see if there’s any area where He may be calling you to make a change to focus more intently on heaven. That’s one decision you won’t regret!

Additional Resources

The Blueprint for Life eight week study will help you discover why you were created and what’s your purpose!  The study contains a workbook and ten inspirational messages, featuring Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, Tony Evans, John Maxwell and others. Now available for digital download.  Click here to check it out!