As abhorrent as war can be, it comes with some powerful lessons. Firstly, it brings to the fore the supremacy of life over possessions. When people try to escape from war fronts, there is only one thing on their minds – safety. They don’t have the luxury of carrying suitcases or their mahogany seats. Many simply have a small carry-on with them. People are ready to forfeit all their earthly possession to secure their lives. Putting a spiritual spin on this has a graver import. There is truly no profit in gaining the whole world only to lose one’s soul.

Instead of laying treasures on earth with all the associated risks, we should learn to invest in heaven.

Secondly, war reminds us of the temporal nature of the things of this world. Just within days, those who have been landlords previously may need to be sheltered in temporary camps as refugees. Some will lose all their earthly possessions in a moment. This goes to prove the veracity of what Jesus taught about the treasures of this world – they are uncertain. They can rust or be stolen. They can be gone through war. In view of this, we must learn to put emphasis on eternal treasures that are imperishable. Instead of laying treasures on earth with all the associated risks, we should learn to invest in heaven.