After purchasing a 150-foot rope, I hung one end so it dangled at eye level as you walked through the front doors of our building. Then I stretched the rope across the wide lobby before tying it off near the other wall. Finally, I wrapped a piece of black tape around the dangling end so every worshiper would see 1 inch of tape followed by 1,799 inches of rope.

Why? In part, because I wanted everyone to see life from God’s perspective. In our teens, 20s, and 30s, we’re given dozens of opportunities to prioritize something other than God. It might be college, dating, friends, or starting a family. These are all good gifts from God . . . unless they subtly replace God. Unless they rob us of the time and energy required for church, meditation on the Word, and connection with God’s people. While we’d all love to believe we can prioritize both, the truth is we can only seek one thing first.

If you’re there (or know someone who is), remember the rope. This life, from heaven’s point of view, is like that tiny stretch of black tape, less than .1% of your eternal existence. Resist the urge of your generation to forget heaven’s math; fix your eyes on the eternal happiness that Jesus lived, died, and rose to give you; and organize your life accordingly. You won’t regret it.

“We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).