Treasuring the Treasurefeatured

During this Lenten season the word treasure seems to be stuck in my brain.  A treasure is an accumulation of wealth or other things of great value, or a collection of precious things. Not surprisingly the Bible has quite a bit to say about treasure. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said “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).

I thought about the earthly treasures in my life – the people and things that are precious to me.  My family and friends came to mind immediately but what about the things in my life? How much do I focus on the acquisition, protection, and maintenance of things that my culture tells me are valuable?

For many a home is their most valuable earthly possession.  My home is where my husband and I spend a significant portion of our time and resources. Jesus definitely spoke the truth about the destructive power of moths and vermin (or rust in some translations)!  Inherent in home ownership is a never-ending cycle of cleaning, repair, and replacement.  Maintenance often takes large doses of time, energy and resources and no matter how much you do, the cycle of trying to ward off decay never ends. God calls us to be good stewards of his gifts, but it can be a slippery slope from good gift to a treasure that displaces our attention from those treasures in heaven!

What exactly are the heavenly treasures that Jesus spoke of? Because of Christ’s victory on the cross, we have treasures that “…moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”  The apostle Paul describes this treasure as God’s “… indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15) – Jesus Christ. In Colossian 2:3, Paul amplifies that truth by declaring that in Christ ^“…are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  

I am familiar with what it takes to maintain my earthly treasures, but what does storing up heavenly treasure require of me? Jesus tells me I need a change of heart. I must shift my focus from things that decay and instead focus my time, energy and resources on what has eternal value. My heart is fickle and I have a hard time sustaining that shift in focus. It is so much easier to invest in things that I can see, touch, hear, and taste. If I am not careful, little of my time, energy and resources remain for the treasures that have eternal value.

Our greatest heavenly treasure is our relationship with Jesus Christ. This Lenten season beckons me to re-examine how I invest in the Eternal. In response to the “…great love the Father has lavished on us” (1 John 3:1), my heart’s desire should be diligent pursuit of eternal treasures. That investment involves quality time in his Word, prayer and worship.  Psalm 119:72 says, “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” How often do those words reflect my quiet time with the Lord? Lent reminds me that painful self-examination of my heart is essential to maintain a focus on the eternal.

Treasuring my relationship with Jesus should profoundly impact my relationships with others. Jesus’s love and grace for me is the model for investing my time, energy and resources in my relationships with others. The New Testament speaks to this frequently:

• “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:18-19).
• “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12)
• ^“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:17-18)

There are many more equally convicting passages, but these were enough for me to cringe.

I find encouragement in words of Paul in Philippians 4:5-6. After instructing us to be gentle in our relationships with others, he says that the Lord is near. In verse six he provides the key, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Our loving heavenly Father stands ready to help us store up treasures in heaven. 

This painting suggests a treasure chest filled to overflowing with goodies. Our God is near and ready to help us fill that chest with his rich eternal treasures, not just at Lent, but each and every day. My prayer is that our hearts’ desire will be to invest our time, energy and resources in the eternal treasures that our loving Father has waiting for us. May your treasure chest overflow with heavenly treasures!