For what shall it profit a man,
if he gains the whole world,
and loses his own soul?
Mark 8:36
When I saw this verse this morning, it took me back to the campus of Babson College where I worked as assistant to the Dean after we returned to the States.
I remember Wellesley for its prestige and wealth, where winding avenues wrap around glamorous brick mansions and European Tudor homes with manicured lawns. Classy restaurants and pricey shops dot the curbs lined with luscious floral arrangements, and elegant swans grace the pond beside town hall.
In this prestigious community, 12 miles west of Boston, it costs nearly $70,000 to become a member at the country club, not including monthly dues of $1000, plus the green fees to play golf! Combined with the hefty prices to eat there, it's safe to assume, members are dropping well over $100k a year. (By way of contrast, the country club near me in the burbs just sent a mailer today, inviting us to join for $49 per year, without green fees!)
I only say this to set the stage for the story I want to share about the founder of the college, Roger W. Babson. This engineer from MIT authored more than 40 books, directed corporations, and even ran for president against Franklin Roosevelt in 1940. He was inventive, industrious, and highly successful in the eyes of the world.
He was also a man of faith and respectable standards. Some of his sayings were actually carved in stone as a lasting memorial to his practical wisdom. One such engraving reads, “If something goes wrong, don’t go with it.”
In 1947, the college erected a large metal globe on campus, weighing 25 tons. It stood about 30’ tall and represented Babson’s vision. For decades it was the largest rotating replica of the Earth in the world.
I remember walking up to it in front of one of the attractive buildings on campus, and discovering an old wooden sign posted at its base with the words of Jesus:
For what shall it profit a man,
if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
Mark 8:36
Standing there looking up, the globe seemed bright and alluring against the sky, but the humble wooden sign showed signs of aging and neglect down on the ground. The wood itself reminded me of the character of Christ, born in a manger, and of the wooden cross He bore on his own back for us all. Such a contrast to the shiny metal, like all that glitters in the world!
Roger Babson posted this sign right there in front of the enormous spinning globe as a reminder to all who would pass by, that no matter what we acquire or what we pursue in this life, there is something greater to be considered. The words of Jesus whisper gently, Don’t lose your soul.
True profit is eternal. This world offers a lot of glitter and gold, but that’s not what truly matters. It is only what we attain in wisdom that will matter when we reach our eternal home.
I wish I took a picture of it, but I never did. I guess no one else did either. I scoured the Internet to no avail. Did we all just hurry by to work or class and make no effort to preserve it? During the years I worked there, it was sad to see the sign with these timeless words slowly rotting in New England’s hard cold winters.
By way of contrast, the metal globe kept gleaming. Staff and students from over 100 nations viewed it as a message of inclusion, diversity, and an inspiration to dream of success.
The rotting plank with Jesus’ words highlighted the fact that spiritual goals were not the priority in the minds of the leaders at the #1 business school in the country 22 years in a row. When the college voted to remove the old plank and not replace it, another message emerged.
One publication even redefined the purpose of that monument. "To reflect on Roger Babson’s original dream that the Globe would impress upon students an appreciation of the world as a whole.” Without seeing Jesus' words of warning, they completely misconstrued Babson's original message. This was not the "original dream" at all!
Since then, they replaced the globe with a newer more authentic looking 3D image of the world at the cost of over $100,000. It was unveiled at the school’s centennial celebrations with great pomp and adulation.
The eternal wisdom of the words of our Lord Yeshua weren’t missed. Very few remember that the words were ever there. However, Babson grads continue to take the world by force, starting companies like Toyota, Home Depot, and Gerber Baby Foods, amassing great fortunes. I can’t help but wonder how many of them will come to the end of the road and wish they had known the timeless words of the Messiah.
What good is it if you gain the whole world, but lose your soul?
The sign is long gone, but the words still stand. As Jesus said, not one tiny letter will pass away as long as heaven and earth remain! (Mt 5:18) When we finish our time on this spinning globe, we will stand before Him. Hopefully, our souls will not be lost in the effort to gain what we cannot keep.
Whether you live in prestigious communities or out in the burbs, I pray you will be fully welcomed as a member, not of some club, but of the eternal Kingdom of the God of heaven and earth!
Keep everything in perspective my friends. Life is more than physical things, and its value is more than all this world can offer. Amen?
The only thing that saved my face, literally, was the visor of the new ballcap on my head! When I first saw it in a store window, I burst out laughing, so my husband bought it for me just two weeks earlier. 
