Storing Up Treasure

 

What you value most is your treasure. Where you spend your time and your money is your treasure. Whatever dominates your conversation is what you treasure. What others know you for is a good indication of what your treasure is.

Most Christians are quick to claim that God is their first priority. Yet often their actions reveal that their treasure is not God, but the things of this world. Some Christians find it difficult to discuss their relationship with God, but they can chatter easily about their family, friends, or hobbies. Some find it impossible to rise early to spend time with God, but they willingly get up at dawn to pursue a hobby. Some find it difficult to give an offering to God, but readily spend lavishly on recreation. Some boldly approach strangers to sell a product, yet they are painfully timid in telling others about their Savior. Some give hundreds of hours to serve in volunteer organizations, but they feel they have no time available to serve God.

If you are unsure of where your treasure is, examine where you spend your available time and money. Reflect on what it is you most enjoy thinking about and discussing. Ask your friends to tell you what they think is most important to you. Ask your family to list the things most valuable to you. It may surprise you to know what others consider your treasure.

Consider the following parable Jesus told as recorded in the gospel according to Luke;

He told the people, "Be careful to guard yourselves from every kind of greed. Life is not about having a lot of material possessions."

Then he used this illustration. He said, "A rich man had land that produced good crops. He thought, 'What should I do? I don't have enough room to store my crops.' He said, 'I know what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones so that I can store all my grain and goods in them. Then I'll say to myself, 'You’ve stored up a lot of good things for years to come. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.'"

"But God said to him, 'You fool! I will demand your life from you tonight! Now who will get what you have accumulated?' That’s how it is when a person has material riches but is not rich in his relationship with God."

Luke 12:15-21 (GWT)

See also: Luke 12:22-34