True Treasure

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."—Matthew 6:19-21

These days the word treasure isn't bandied about very often. Perhaps you've seen your treasure eaten away by the moths in the financial systems. Perhaps a Bernie Madoff or two broke in and stole it. Whatever the case may be, treasure seems in rare supply. However, there are important lessons to be gleaned from this scripture, especially in these times when we can't afford for our treasure to be corrupted or stolen.

Someone once told me that their philosophy of investing was to invest in companies that interested them. If they shopped at Krispy Kreme, then they would buy stock in Krispy Kreme. If they shopped at Wal-Mart, they would invest in Wal-Mart stock. Their attention directed their investment. However, Jesus told the crowd, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Investment, Jesus said, will drive your attention. Isn’t it true? If you invest in oil, you will be watching oil prices. If you invest in IBM, you will be watching their stock closely.

Where your treasure is there your heart will be also! I have heard people say, "I would give money to missions if I felt led to, but I just don't have a heart for missions like some people." They say, "I just haven't found a place that grabs my heart to volunteer, but when I find it, I'll give of my time." It seems natural for us to let our investment follow our attention. This method of investment, however, leaves no room for God to inform or shape our attentions. If you want to have a heart for missions, or for volunteering, let your investment direct your attention.

Give to missions and you will find yourself interested in the results of a mission project, or of a specific missionary. Volunteer with the Children as a Sunday School teacher and you will find yourself interested in their lives. Work with the Youth and you will find yourself involved in their world. Join the Choir and find your attentions directed toward our expressions of corporate worship. When you invest your money, time, and energy—your treasure—you will discover that your heart will find a home.

When you invest the perishable treasures of earth into God's kingdom, you store up an eternal treasure that cannot be taken away from you. This treasure is not silver or gold, it isn't precious stones or stock certificates. All of these things will either pass away, or, when we pass away they will be of no value to us. But the treasures that we store up in heaven are the relationships we build, and the lives that we impact here on earth.

Homework this week:
Contemplate—Am I satisfied with my investment portfolio?
Decide—Where do I want to invest my treasure?
Act—Begin to Tithe this next week. Call and let us know if we can help you find a place to volunteer.

Popular posts from this blog

The Power of a Memory

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, " This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. " In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, " This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me ." —1 Corinthians 11:23-25 Has it ever happened to you? You walk into a room and suddenly the sight, smell, or feel of that room transports you thousands of miles to your grandmother’s house? In an instant you are 10 again. It is so real that you could almost walk to the kitchen and grab a cookie. What you have just experienced is the power of a memory. Our brains catalog, not just the sequence of events, but the sounds, sights, smells, tastes and touches of those events and places as well. And every time we come into contact with those senses again, our brain, quick as lightni
Read more

Commission

"Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you." —1 Thessalonians 3:1 Each year, we at Faith participate in commissioning several mission teams. We declare that those who go out from us in mission are “Ambassadors” not only of God’s Kingdom, but also of the Faith family. When I tell friends and colleagues at other churches about our missions involvement, they are consistently astonished, both at the number of trips we take, and the number of participants on those trips. After participating in so many commissionings, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect this past Sunday as you commissioned the Guatemala trip. I have been looking forward to this trip for many months; but as you commissioned us, the trip became real. I felt a deep joy swell over me, both that I had the opportunity to go, and that the church, my church, was praying for me and sending me out. I don’t know that I will
Read more

Final Thoughts

For almost three years, you and I have lived the Faith life together. We have worshiped, served in mission, studied scripture, and lived life together. As Kristin and I prepare to embark on a new adventure (with a slightly larger family than when we came to you) we are thankful for the opportunities we have had at Faith. In my time at Faith I have written over 120 articles on various themes. Today I write my last article to you. Final thoughts are often the hardest to come by. There is an urge to cram every important thought into the single page, after all, I’ll never have another chance to speak to you in this way. I have wrestled in my own mind over what to say here. Ultimately, I chose what I believe is the most important. Worship is a matter of submission to God, of seeing His majesty, of recognizing our own frailty, and submitting to His will and way. Worship is not found in the emotion of a song, or the swing of a hammer, it is found in the heart that does those things out of
Read more