“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6: 19-21 NLT
Treasure is not what it used to be. The other day I took my coin collection for appraisal. After carefully evaluation, the things that had sale value brought me $49. The rest was worth face value. I walked away with about $65.
This started me thinking. The Beanie Babies we collected (for investment, my husband said, so “don’t take off the tags”) ended being worth nothing. I gave them away as party favors. The stamp collection netted some money, but not as much as was invested in it, never mind the time involved.
As to storing things up, most of what I have collected (for fun, not profit) has ended up in a resale shop when I downsized and there was nowhere to put it. I periodically do the Marie Kondo thing, but I’m amazed sometimes to realize how much stuff I still have that I really don’t need. And yet there always seems to be more…
So much for treasure on earth. What counts as treasure in heaven? Of course, the first and greatest treasure is Jesus, but we don’t often think of that, do we? If we did, maybe we would see things very differently. (But actually, Jesus is our treasure everywhere!)
The Jews say that deeds of mercy and kindness are treasure. Any small act of service, especially if unreciprocated, is treasure. And any Kingdom value is treasure: working for justice, meeting needs, respecting others’ dignity, etc. Because the King said, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40 NIV)
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Lord, I already have all the resources I need to be kind. Generosity is not defined only by money. If all the treasure I ever gain is pleasing to You, nothing more is necessary. Help me remember this. Amen
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So, in doing some online research about treasure, I came across the following:
“Buy Treasure Of Heaven | Get Up To 70% Off“
and
“Treasure In Heaven Sold Direct on eBay | ebay.co“
Both refer to a book, but it struck me as pretty funny, and, if taken literally, another sad commentary on our materialistic society.