Being a follower of Christ entails more than a rote routine of religious activity. Many of us want to be like Christ, but other desires crowd out our longing to be with Him. When this happens, we can start viewing our relationship with Him as a series of tasks to be checked off a list instead of a wellspring of nourishment and vitality.

The ten marks of a disciple remind us of the areas in which we ought to reorient our desires so we will truly follow hard after our Shepherd.

An Eternal Perspective

The first of those marks is perspective—cultivating an eternal perspective in this temporal arena.

Our earthly sojourn is brief. We do not know how long our life will be, but we do know that death is certain. As George Bernard Shaw pointed out, “The statistics on death are impressive. One out of one dies.”

However, many people do not live as if death is certain. They postpone what really matters in their pursuits of worldly trivialities. But if we are to be followers of Christ, we need to live with the end in mind. This is not to be morbid, but rather to live with the wisdom Moses gives us in Psalm 90:12: “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”

Investing Our Time Wisely

As we remember the brevity of our earthbound sojourn, we must acknowledge the urgency of investing our time wisely. We need to be living in the precious present in light of eternity. In this soul-forming world, many things clamor for our attention. However, the things of this world will pass away, and hope in them will ultimately fail us.

We need to use our time wisely, remembering to store up treasure in heaven rather than on earth (Matthew 6:19–20). After all, only hope in God will satisfy us in the end, for He is eternal.

Looking for more resources on cultivating an eternal perspective? Check out Ken’s revised Conformed to His Image, including new companion videos and a study guide.

Missed a session and want to catch up? Ken’s Friday morning study videos are available here.