Why do you spend your life on children?
Why do you have so many?
You have no time for yourself, your dreams, your fulfillment, your own interests!
What a waste! Children this, children that, all you do is children!
What a waste! You’re tired, you’re sick, you’re worn out. What a waste!

O my friend, if you could see the things I see.
O that I could give my sight to you to see what can’t be seen.

Children they are, but what shall they be?
This one a pastor, that one an evangelist, another a missionary.
Godly fathers, Godly mothers leading families in heaven-filled homes.
Lovers of truth, Fishers of men.
Filled with God’s Spirit, His word, His heart.

But what of achievement and success, comfort and good jobs?
Do you not want a better life for them?

O yes indeed! So much the better, but by whose measure?
Do we choose the Lord Eternal, or some earthly dream?

What shall they choose?
Will they hear God’s tender voice and stay the narrow way?
Or follow hard the beck and call to pleasure and security?

What shall they choose?
To be content, at peace to stay, with love for all, with joy no end?
Or shall they strive to have the best the world can give right here, right now?

What shall they choose?
Will they taste the gift of God, to dwell with Him forevermore?
Or fill their souls with things below, but never know eternal bliss?

For this hope I give my life—a waste it seems.
A wealth I’ll have eternally, by faith see I.
So now I choose to waste my life for Christ to gain, this world deny.

To gain the world, but lose one’s soul, will be eternal waste.
To gain one’s soul, deny this world, will be eternal wealth.