There were two men. One of them invested all he had into a good company. At first, things were tight for him. But year after year, his investment kept growing. There wasn’t much in the first year, or even the fifth. But over decades, his investment kept doubling and doubling, and soon he was the richest man in the world, and he lived in luxury.

The second man spent all his money on getting drunk every night with his friends. At first, it was fun. But year after year, his liver kept getting worse and worse. It wasn’t noticeable for a few years, but over his lifetime, his liver kept getting worse. Not only did his health go down, but he got poorer and poorer too. He died early, and was filled with misery and regret.

Everyone has a choice to make in this life: the Kingdom of God or Babylon. Whatever you work for in this life, you’ll taste. Whether it’s in this life or in the next. So if you strive to make this world into a mirror of Heaven, then Heaven is yours. You’ll have the Kingdom of God in this life and in the next. But if you strive to make this world into a mirror of Hell, then Hell is yours too. You might not see it all in this life, but wherever you’re heading, eventually you’ll reach.

With patience, all investments come back to you, and then even more than what you put in. This is freedom. To be able to choose how you live your life. What power does someone have over you if even death is something to be laughed at? As a wise man once said, “If a man hasn’t discovered something he will die for, then he isn’t fit to live.” Knowing what you’re living for, and knowing that you’ll get it: This is freedom.

But Babylon always wants to take your choice away from you. It will tell you, “You don’t know if your investment will pay off, so just enjoy the moment.” Not thinking about how they’d like to invest their lives, those who listen to Babylon become complacent. They don’t invest in the Kingdom of God because they think, “Sure, I’d like to live in the Kingdom of God, but maybe when I die, that’s it.”

So instead of building the Kingdom of God with selfless love, they begin acting selfishly. They want to get as much as they can in this short life. Being selfish, they become isolated. And how could you be anything other than isolated when your own concerns are all that exist? Being isolated, they become powerless. And being powerless, selfish people will take advantage of you.

So then perhaps you can understand why the “you only live once” ideology is constantly being pushed down everyone’s throats. They sell you freedom, but give you slavery. “Work your job quietly, or you might lose it all. If you want, go on some meaningless adventure. But never challenge the way things are. You will work, and we will profit. Keep God and his Kingdom far from your mind. This life is it.” Clearly, those who seek to profit from your misery would want to suppress any idea of life after death. And if they can’t suppress it, they make it meaningless. “Everyone who says some certain words will go to Heaven. No need to try to bring God’s Kingdom into this world.” And like that, they make you complacent. And when you’re complacent with Babylon, the ultimate end is misery.

Think bigger. What use is a cup to the person who has an ocean? If you had no restrictions on your money, or your time, or where you could go, or what you could do: Would you try to cram all these low-hanging-fruits into your 20’s or your 30’s? Or maybe you missed the boat and now you’re trying to do it in your 50’s or your 60’s. Why not build the kingdom of God, and you can have those things and even more? You won’t miss out.

Consciousness does not end. Build towards Life. Unending life. Life, which God provides, not Babylon. Make peace with God, and make peace with God.