Spending Life

In economics we use this concept called "opportunity cost." Let's say I have 20 bucks to spend on Christmas gifts. I could spend that 20 bucks on a 20 dollar jacket for myself. That'd be good, I want to do that. But I also want to buy gifts for people. I could instead buy two 10 dollar t-shirts. I can't buy the jacket for myself AND the t-shirts for others. If I buy the jacket, I can't buy the t-shirts, and if I buy the t-shirts, I can't buy the jacket.

We see here that doing one thing necessarily means not doing another. The cost of spending all my money on myself is best understood in terms of what I am giving up for it, the opportunities foregone, hence the term "opportunity cost."

I'd like to think I'll never grow old. But one day I'll grow old, weak, ugly (uglier), dead. Right now I'm alive, young, and I have energy. How shall I spend it? On myself? On others? Both? There seem to be many worthy causes, and many pleasurable pursuits in the world. What should I do with this small amount of life I have? I can't do everything, as much as I'd like to. Doing one thing necessarily means not doing another.

I really enjoy the song "Dancing through Life" from the musical Wicked. Quite a fun song. One part goes:

Dancing through life
Down at the Ozdust (ballroom)
If only because dust is what we come to...
Nothing matters
But knowing nothing matters
It's just..
life

Makes sense that if dust is what we all come to, then nothing matters except knowing nothing matters, and then why not just dance through life? As it says in 1 Corinthians 15, "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ... If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. ... If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.'" But, "knowing nothing matters" is only liberating in fiction, because in truth, life without meaning and purpose is full of despair, for there is no hope.

But how shall I live life, since I believe that dust is NOT what we all come to, since I believe that Christ has been raised and there is life after this one? I choose to spend my life for the one who spent his life for me. I was a slave to sin, but Christ spent his life to pay the ransom so that I might have freedom. I too now spend my life so that others might have freedom, I spend my life for the gospel, the only worthwhile pursuit in life.

Yes, it means I have to not do certain things I'd like to do. Then again, that happens any time I do anything, there is always opportunity cost. Is it worth it? Yes. No regrets.