Fuel card

This analogy is quite a stretch, but give it a chance. Yesterday I stopped at Kwik Trip on the north end of River Falls to fill up our car. As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed that I had a Kwik Trip "Fuel Only" card in the change cup and decided it was the perfect time to use it. My grandma had given each of her grandchildren a $15 fuel card for Christmas.

I filled the gas tank and ran inside to pay. The total cost of my transaction was $41.75. I handed my Fuel Only card to the cashier and he swiped it bringing down the total to $26.75. As I was swiping my Visa in the card reader, the cashier asked if I wanted the card back. I had no use for it, so I said, "Nope!" I hustled back to my car and had a weird sinking feeling.

My grandma had given me that card for Christmas and I used it without much thought and gave it back to the cashier. Obviously, the $15 helped, but it was just a "drop in the bucket." It barely made an impact on my purchase. The card served its role, went back to where it came from and it will never have anything to do with my life ever again. That made me sad. I was sad that my grandma's gift came and went so quickly and I was sad because this is the picture of so many people's life.

God gives us all the opportunity to make our lives count for an eternity. We have the ability to contribute to something greater than ourselves and live for a name that will last forever. God passionately pursues us and it's our choice if we chose to live for a story that is bigger than us - His story.

If we choose to live for anything other than God, we are in danger of becoming exactly like the fuel card that I used yesterday. We'll have a temporary impact, if that, and will be returned to where we came from with nothing to show for. Our lives will be a "drop in the bucket" and will no longer be of use or value. Maybe we served a temporary role, but it's over.

When it's over, it's over, but if you leverage your life for the glory of God, you can take part in an eternity and live for name that lasts forever.