It struck me this morning that I ought to care more about what goes on in the town and world around me. Care about it since I am, after all, due to inherit it one day. That's right, I have a claim on it all. Every where I put my foot is the 'promised land'.
I should be the guy who is forever asking 'why are you doing this?' or 'what's your plans to develop this?' and when people reply 'what's it to you?' I can in the most sincere and truthful tone explain:
'why, I'm going to inherit all this when you're gone.'
It's true you see. I am an heir of all things. I am a son of God and since to be a son in the mind and vision of the Bible's authors is to also be an heir, it does perhaps make sense to call me such; an heir, a prince even.
I should ask questions, show an interest and care about the preservation, protection and cultivation of this world since it is after all, my world. It is a world that belongs to Jesus and his people.
That is one reason why a proper understanding of the Bible's vision of heaven really matters. Heaven, far from being a disembodied mystical existence is a life on this earth, only this earth made new. The new creation will be like this one only better and better in a not-worth-comparing sort of way.
Since I/we are going to inherit the earth, it follows that we ought to care more about what goes on.
That is all.