Rachel rolled the dice and moved her piece, collecting three green gems. She looked at her supply. “OK, I’ll buy the castle card.” She handed her gems to Jason, who deposited them in the bank and handed her the card. “I’m done. It’s your turn, Mia.”

Mia took the dice from Rachel and rolled them across the table. She landed on a gem space as well. “Yay! I get blue gems!” She took the gems from Jason and added them to her growing collection.

Logan eyed her supply. “You know you have to spend the gems to win the game, dummy.”

Jason frowned at Logan. “Don’t call your sister a dummy.”

Mia stuck out her tongue at Logan. “I’m not a dummy. I have more gems than everyone.”

After a few more rounds, the game was over, with Mia coming in last. Mia burst into tears. “Why do I always lose?”

Rachel pulled Mia into her lap. “Sweetie, we’ve talked about this. The point of the game is to get the most points. You get points by buying cards. It doesn’t do you any good to have all those gems if you don’t have any victory points.”

Mia sniffled and wiped her nose. “OK, Mommy. Can I have a snack?”

Rachel laughed and squeezed her tight. “Of course. Should we make popcorn?”

Logan hopped off his chair. “I want popcorn too!”

After putting the kids to bed, Rachel and Jason sat together in the family room. Jason worked on his laptop while Rachel read through emails on her phone. “Did you sign up for the men’s retreat next weekend?”

Jason glanced up from his computer. “No, I can’t take that much time away. Things are really busy at work right now, and will be for the foreseeable future. Darren has hinted at retirement and if I want to take over his job, I’ll need to really show the firm my value.”

Rachel set down her phone. “You’ll be working over the weekends?”

“Not full time, but definitely some. Like tonight. I had time to play a family game, but now I’m catching up on work.”

Rachel turned to face Jason fully. “I thought you were happy with the job you have now.”

Jason rolled his neck. “I am, but getting this promotion would mean a big raise. We could finally take that trip to Hawaii we’ve always dreamed about. And we could get you a nicer car, and maybe add on to the house…”

Rachel rose from her chair and crossed the room to Jason. She took his hand and led him over to the sofa, where she turned to face him, holding his hand in hers. “I need you to listen to me for a moment. This is important.”

Jason met her gaze. “Of course.”

“I love you, and I love our life. You’ve been a great husband and father, and a wonderful example to the kids of a man of God. We have everything we need to be happy as a family.”

Jason squeezed her hand and smiled. “I’m glad to hear you say that. I’m afraid you’re about to say but, though.”

Rachel laughed. “There’s not a but in there. There’s a caution.”

Jason cocked his head at her. “A caution?”

Rachel nodded. “Yes. I think you need to learn a lesson from your daughter. Every time we play that game, she is focused on collecting as many gems as possible. But at the end of the game, the gems don’t matter.”

Jason raised his eyebrows. “I don’t understand where you’re going with this.”

“Mia’s collecting gems that don’t matter in the end. Collecting wealth and status in this life won’t matter when we get to heaven, either. If getting this new promotion means more money and status but you won’t have time to spend with us or to go to the men’s retreat and focus on God, it’s like collecting meaningless gems. It’s far more important to invest in heavenly things. I’m happy with our house and our car, and if we never get to Hawaii, I don’t care, as long as we’re together.”

Jason pulled Rachel into his arms. “I think I’ve already collected the most important gem of all. You are precious to me. Thank you for helping me see. I think I’m finished with work for tonight.”

Ecclesiastes 1: 2-3 and 12:13

“Meaningless! Meaningless!”  says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?”

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

God, Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes that everything is meaningless in this life unless we are following You and keeping your commandments. It’s so easy to get caught up in this life. There are so many things we chase after, whether it’s status, wealth, fame, power, beauty, pleasure, or possessions. But there are other things, not quite as obvious, that we chase as well, that are just as meaningless in heaven. We long for human approval – to please people rather than You. We long to be right and to build legacies on earth. We seek knowledge to build ourselves up, or we use productivity as an identity. But the truth is, You love us for who we are, without any of that. All you ask of us is a willing heart. Please help us invest our efforts in heavenly pursuits. The only thing we can take to heaven with us is other people. Help us use our time and our resources to bring others to You. And help give us the humility to learn from those around us who want to help us, even if we’re learning from a six-year-old girl playing a board game. In Jesus’ name, Amen.