Humans are more than mortal. There are transcendent passions and desires within all of us that strain against our corporeal limitations. The truth of this is shown by our desire for greatness, to leave behind some name or legacy that can endure through time.
We love greatness; we want to participate in it and set it in stone to be remembered forever because it transcends time. The fact that we set up things like world records, Super Bowls, art, monuments, and even write books, music, and poetry shows that we as a race believe that there is more to our existence than merely living and dying. There are desires and realities within us that are not and can never be shuffled off with this mortal coil.
This divine fire, this immortal spark within us, is, both by definition and essence, a treasure of infinite value. Its riches are not meant to buy merely a handful of metal trophies, acclaim from our fellow men, or any transient triumph here below. At the same time, it was given to us to spend generously, not to hoard, hide, or harness for our own pusillanimous desires and comforts. For our time on this earth is also a treasure bequeathed to us as a gift, and it can only have its full meaning if we, in turn, give it away.
If we choose to sacrifice our lives upon some unworthy altar before a cheap idol, or worse, refuse to sacrifice it at all, we have been disloyal to our identity, squandered an inheritance of infinite value, and failed to fulfill our destiny as children of the living God.
We have all been entrusted with wealth from our Heavenly Father to spend lavishly for His sake, as He spent it for ours. There is only one hall of fame worthy of our talents; there is only one prize worthy of the course.
May we run, and run so as to win.
