I remember when our water heater broke and flooded the den on the lower level of our home. What a hassle! We had to remove the carpet, cut open walls, and move everything out of the den that we had stored in there. It was like gutting the room. And the den had been the graveyard of countless books, older furniture, pictures of old memories, and all sorts of outdoor gear, “treasures” I’d hung on to.
After the cleanup and repair, I spent about 20 hours moving all my treasures back into the refurbished room. I wondered how I had ever collected so much fishing and hunting gear. The sponsor support I’d received during the forty-five years I was associated with these industries provided many worldly rewards. I sorted through the items, and at the end of the day, I realized I had two piles: stuff with just temporal value (trophies, plaques, recognitions, game mounts, equipment, etc.) and stuff with greater or even eternal value (photographs depicting memories with our family, faith-based tapes, videos, and messages, a few Bibles, and study materials).
It’s true, I’ve enjoyed all the things God has entrusted to me while living my earthly life. Many of these items mean a great deal to me, but I can’t take them with me when I die. Come to think of it, with all the funerals I’ve officiated, I’ve never seen a hearse with a U-Haul trailer behind it! We can’t take our stuff or our money with us. “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” (1 Timothy 6:7) But we will not be without wealth! In Ephesians 1:18-19 we read, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” In the here and now, the most important treasures to me are my relationships with the Lord, my family, and the friendships I experience. None of the other stuff will last. In God, we are rich beyond compare as we share in “His glorious inheritance!”
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:8-15
Personal Application: Sometimes it’s good to stand back and take a good look at our lives and the stuff we’ve accumulated. How do you react when something bad happens to your stuff and you suffer damage or financial loss? Your reaction gives you insight into what you most value. Commit your finances and your belongings to the Lord anew. Ensure that what you treasure most are things that hold eternal value. But thank God for all the earthly goods He gives you for your
enjoyment, for those come from Him.
Jim Grassi, D. Min.
We cherish any verse in Scripture that reminds us to keep focused and intentional about evangelism and discipleship. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5