There is a popular saying I love: “Life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon." When our perspective on life changes, our behavior changes. When an athlete is training for a sprint race, their thoughts are focused on the short-term. They go fast, but they also burn out quickly. A marathon runner is different; marathon runners focus on keeping a certain pace for a long period of time. This is what keeping an eternal perspective is all about: looking at life from a wider lens.

Things that matter to you today – like that job promotion you want, the degree you’re working towards, or how your child does on his or her spelling test – don’t compare to what God says matters in the long run, which is a relationship with Him. When you keep this eternal perspective in mind, your attitude and behavior will change. And, chances are, when we remember that God is the most important thing in life, our behavior will be more pleasing to Him.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:7 to be “self-controlled and sober-minded.” In other words: keep an eternal perspective. Care about what really matters. And you will bless the people in your world.

This is Luis Palau.