Choose Eternal Treasure, the World Will Pass Away
Arsenal of the King
by Chaplain Cassia
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
(1 John 2:17)
According to the Voice of the Martyrs:
“On this day in 1956, missionaries Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint and Roger Youderian were violently killed by the Waodani tribe in Ecuador. The five had spent months contacting the remote tribe through over-flights and gift exchanges via an ingenious bucket drop. Though the tribe had a history of violent encounters with outsiders, the men had decided they had established a degree of mutual trust that would support direct contact.”
Jim Elliot was a missionary to South America who laid down his life, along with four other young men, while sharing the gospel with indigenous people in Ecuador. These are the words that have echoed through generations since that day:
“He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” (Jim Elliot)
What makes this story even more moving is what happened after their deaths. Within two years, Elisabeth Elliot and Nate Saint’s sister made a friendly and lasting contact with the Waodani people, and translation of the Bible into the Waodani language began. One by one, the very men who murdered the missionaries became believers in the One who sent the five to reach them.
Beloved, there is something deeply comforting in this truth: God never wastes a surrendered life. What looks like loss in the hands of man becomes seed in the hands of God, and the Lord knows how to bring beauty out of ashes and redemption out of tragedy. These men did not give their lives for nothing. The gospel reached where it seemed impossible to reach, and even the hearts that carried violence were transformed by the mercy of Christ. Their story reminds us that obedience may cost us something, but it will never leave us empty, because the Lord Himself is our reward, and what we give to Him is never lost.
As with Jim Elliot and four other young men who perished to bring the gospel to the jungle tribes, believers through the ages have had to choose between earthly treasures and heavenly reward. Beloved, what will you choose to go after, worldly treasures that slip away and cannot follow you beyond the grave, or eternal prizes that will never fade in the presence of God?
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth… but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
(Matthew 6:19–20)
If this encouraged you today, we would be blessed if you would like, share, or pass this post along to someone who needs a reminder to keep their eyes on eternity.
May God bless you abundantly,
Cassia
Source: Voice of the Martyrs (VOM), historical account of the January 9, 1956 missionary deaths and later Waodani conversions, accessed January 9, 2026.
Image Credit: Arsenal of the King (AOK). To the glory of God.
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