Finding and losing one's life.

One day Jesus called to Him the twelve disciples whom He had chosen to be His special witnesses and instructed them in the business of their mission. Amongst other things, Jesus said to them, "He that findeth his life, shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it."

Perhaps you may be surprised to know that this little saying has caused many people to wonder. Or, perhaps, you may wonder yourself what Jesus meant. Why should a man who has found his life lose it? Indeed, how can a man both find and lose his life at the same time? And how can a man who has lost his life find it? What does it mean to lose one's life, and to find one's life? Undoubtedly, the answer to these questions must be of great importance to men.

In seeking for that answer, we must recall the fundamental purpose of the mission of Jesus, and of His loving sacrifice for the salvation of the rest of Father's children. Jesus strove to teach men to know God, and, through His cruel death, to bring men back into the presence of God. All of Jesus's teaching, therefore, was based upon the fact that the chief thing in a man's life is to recognize his divine right as a son of God, and to come into close, real, and constant touch with the Father in heaven. But how shall a man come into such close touch with the Almighty Being who rules the universe?

The necessity of harmony.

{84} Our lives upon the earth are full of illustrations of how necessary it is for us to put ourselves into perfect harmony with our environments when we wish to attain certain ends. If we wish to mingle with so-called society, we must conform to the artificial standards of society in dress, and manners, and speech, and many other things; otherwise, we become outcasts from society and are despised. Or again, if we set up an apparatus for wireless telegraphy, we must, whether we like it or not, make all connections close and in proper way, and we must use the right kind of materials in both the transmitting and the receiving instruments; otherwise, we can neither send nor receive messages. If in the society of men, and in the application of the principles of science, it is so urgently necessary to observe the rules of society and the laws of science, it is very easy to understand that, if we would come into close and constant touch with God, we must observe also the laws of such divine communion. Anything at all that might come between one and real communion with God would be disastrous. Indeed, in the teaching of Jesus, it would constitute the greatest sorrow, the greatest tragedy in human existence. Since it is life eternal to know God, not to know Him, not to find Him, is loss eternal. Although a man may prosper, then, in this life—although he may find his life, as it were, in this world—yet shall he lose it eternally, if he has not found God. If we stop now, and think this out clearly, we may understand very easily what Jesus meant when He said to His disciples, "He {85} that findeth his life, shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it."

Three forms of temptation.

We may now ask ourselves, What is likely to come between us and close touch with God, to prevent us from finding God, and thus to prevent us from gaining life eternal? You will recall what we have already learned about the temptation of Jesus. The devil tempted Jesus first through the physical, the bodily, appetites; then through the desire, the love of wordly praise; and lastly, through the love of worldly power and riches. It was these very forms of temptation that Jesus feared might come between man and God. Especially did He fear that the love of the praise of men might tempt people and bring about their destruction. So, as He taught one time those who followed Him, He explained to them the right attitude in worship.

Instruction in praying and alms-giving.

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men," said Jesus, "to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their rew............