Where Your Treasure Is

What is your most treasured possession? Is it a vehicle – be it very old or very new? Is it a family heirloom that was handed down from generation to generation? Maybe it’s a salary that exceeds what both your parents combined ever made in their careers. Is it a diploma or degree you achieved after years of intensive study? Maybe it’s a picture of your family where everybody was present and not arguing! Or maybe that treasure is something less tangible, like the love of a spouse or a child. The fact is, we all have things in this life that we cherish and treasure.

I confess, I’m not an overly sentimental guy. I don’t have a bunch of things that I am totally attached to, like an old trophy or a pair of socks from the 6^th grade. I don’t tend to keep thoughtful cards at the holidays – in fact, I’m very quick to delete old emails! Yet, I do have a few treasures that I prize above others. My grandmother on my mother’s side was an avid ceramics maker. Her fondest hobby was the construction and distribution of her art forms to those she loved. Mammaw Louise set out in her lifetime to make a complete set of holiday (Easter and Christmas) decorations for each of the grandkids. I don’t know that she ever totally achieved that feat, but we all did receive some piece(s) of her work while she was alive and after her death. Christmas has just passed by, and last weekend was spent putting away all of our decorations. Some of the treasures I have of hers include four gorgeous reindeer with 18k antlers, a jovial Santa on his sleigh, and a 35 piece nativity set – complete with camels, barn, wise men, and a backup baby Jesus in case one gets lost! These items are quite precious to me and I love to display them every year in our home. As we rewrap those treasures in 30 year old newspaper sections that display headlines about what are now historical events, I’m reminded of a dear woman who made an impact on me beyond words or comprehension.

But what if those items were taken away from me in an instant? How would I react? Still yet, what if one of those things I mentioned earlier was taken away from you and you were left without them forever? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked to the people about true treasures. These weren’t earthly things like money, possessions, or memorabilia; rather, they included things such as a relationship with Father God and an overwhelming sense of joy in giving to others. There have been plenty of people in this world that have lost something they treasured too much in this world, only to let it drive them to destruction. Jesus tells us today to not get too acquainted and comfortable with the “now,” be it tangible or otherwise. Yet, its when we can begin to treat everything with a touch of separation (including or wealth) that we begin to understand what it means to become a citizen of heaven and not of this world.

Resounding Themes:
Goodness of God
Richness of the Spiritual Life
Sovereignty of God’s Blessings
Heavenly Home vs. Worldly Home