在1921年，藝術家西蒙．盧地亞（Sam Rodia）便開始建造他構思的華茲塔。33年後，17座的雕塑建築終於在洛杉磯市拔地而起，有些高達30米，甚為壯觀。然而，歌手傑瑞．加西亞（Jerry Garcia）對盧地亞的畢生心血不屑一顧。他說：「這就是他的回報。這種只有在人死後才會出現的事，我一點都不感興趣。」

那麼，加西亞要的回報是什麼呢？他的一名樂團成員概述了他們的人生哲學：「在永恆裡，根本沒人會記得你做過些什麼。所以，為何不及時享樂呢？」

一位富裕的智者也曾竭盡所能想得到「回報」。他在心裡對自己說：「來吧，我用享樂試試你，讓你看看有什麼好處」（傳道書2章1節，新譯本）。但他察覺到「智慧人和愚昧人一樣，永遠無人記念」（16節）。最後他總結道：「在日光之下所發生的事，都使我厭煩。」（17節，新譯本）

耶穌的生命和祂傳講的信息，徹底駁斥了這種短視的生活觀。祂來到世上是要賜給你我更豐盛的生命（約翰福音10章10節），並且教導我們要以永恆的眼光過今生的年日。耶穌說：「不要為自己積攢財寶在地上⋯⋯只要積攢財寶在天上」（馬太福音6章19-20節），然後祂總結說：「你們要先求[上帝]的國和祂的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。」（33節）

這就是日光之下和日光之上截然不同的回報。

In 1921, artist Sam Rodia began construction on his Watts Towers. Thirty-three years later, seventeen sculptures rose as high as thirty meters over Los Angeles. Musician Jerry Garcia was dismissive of Rodia’s lifework. “That’s the payoff,” said Garcia. “That thing that exists after you’re dead.” Then he said, “Wow, that’s not it for me.”

So what was the payoff for him? His bandmate Bob Weir summed up their philosophy: “In eternity, nothing will be remembered of you. So why not just have fun?”

A wealthy, wise man once tried to find the “payoff” by doing everything he possibly could. He wrote, “I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good’ ” (Ecclesiastes 2:1). But he noted, “The wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered” (v. 16). He concluded, “The work that is done under the sun was grievous to me” (v. 17).

The life and message of Jesus radically counter such shortsighted living. Jesus came to give us “life to the full” (John 10:10) and taught us to live this life with the next one in view. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,” He said. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20). Then He summed it up: “Seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (v. 33).

That’s the payoff—both under the sun and beyond.