What Do We Treasure—MOST!
Billy Graham once said, “Give me five minutes with a person’s checkbook, and I will tell you where their heart is.”
- What do we love?
- When we are called to love, who do we love—most?
- What do we think about—most?
- When thoughts fill our minds, who do we think about—most?
- What dreams fill our mind—most?
- When speaking of our dreams, who do we focus upon—most?
- What do we talk about—the most?
- When we are talking as we go through our day, who comes to mind—most?
There is our treasure.
The world is filled with a huge assortment of treasures we could store up for ourselves:
- Education Certifications & Degrees.
- People, Friendships, & Relationships.
- Social Media Posts & Number of Followers.
- Houses, Vehicles, & Possessions.
- Careers, Tasks to Accomplish, & Jobs to Do.
- Vacations, Get-A-Ways, & Holidays to Enjoy.
- Fun, Living for the Here & Now, & Getting All We Can.
There are so many things—so much—this world offers for us to do, to see, and to amass.
Even if we do not actively keep a “checkbook,” we still enjoy a flow of funds to survive throughout the week, month, and year. Therefore, if we think back to Graham’s statement and put it into a perspective that fits the world of today’s generation, “If we take five minutes and look online, scanning where we have made our monthly charges, where we have made our withdrawals, and how we have spent our money—It is there we will locate our heart.
This truth is nothing new. Jesus Himself spoke these words when He sat on the mountainside and spoke the Sermon on the Mount.
Let’s see this truth together.
Jesus said—“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
(Matthew 6: 19-21)
Treasures of this earth—moths destroy.
Clothing, furniture, household goods. As we sit and look around our homes, we see so much that can be replaced, those things that we have purchased that are not long-lasting but can be destroyed.
Treasures of this earth—rust destroys.
Cars, trucks, drivable vehicles, and outdoor objects. As we walk outside and look around, we see so much that can be replaced, yes those things that we have purchased that the weather touches, so it rusts & destroys.
Treasures of this earth—thieves break in and steal.
Collectibles & things we have saved to buy. As we tour through our homes and storage buildings, we see so much that can be replaced, and as we see these objects, we realize that we could sell them at any moment and make a profit; thus, the thieves could break in and steal.
Treasures in heaven—moths do not destroy.
Faith & Hope—
“Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, . . .”
(1 Corinthians 13: 4)
Treasures in heaven—rust does not ruin or destroy.
Faith & Hope & Kindness & Gentleness—
“[Love] does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, it is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, . . .”
(1 Corinthians 13: 5)
Treasures in heaven—thieves do not break into our homes to steal.
Faith & Hope & Kindness & Gentleness & Patience & Forgiveness & Endurance—
“[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails; . . . .”
(1 Corinthians 13: 6-8a)
There is an excellence found in love.
There is where our treasure is found.
There is how we should spend our money.
God Himself sent His only Son—Jesus—to save us from our sins as He provided us a way to know Him. Nothing will keep us apart from God’s mercy & grace—His Salvation!
That is God’s Amazing Grace & Excellent & Eternal Love.
- What do we love & who do we love—most?
- What thoughts fill our minds & who do we think about—most?
- What dreams fill our mind & who do we focus upon—most?
- What do we talk about as we go through our day & who comes to mind—most?
There is our treasure.
“For now we see in a mirror dimly; but then face to face [when face-to face with Almighty God];
now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love [God’s Amazing Love].”
(1 Corinthians 13: 12-13)