Where Your Treasure Lies

TODAY”S VERSE: “Beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Luke 12: 15

 Materialism. It seems that most of us at one point or another are consumed with wanting the newest gadget, the hippest clothing, or the fanciest car. We may not be able to afford such pricey items… but ‘Gosh, wouldn’t it be nice…’ is our fantasy.

 In Luke 12 Jesus tells of a story and it goes something like this:

There was a rich man whose crops yeilded a lot of fruits for him. He looked at all he had harvested and was impressed. He knew the barn he currently owned was simply not big enough to house all this good stuff!

 And so he thought, “What shall I do? I know! I will build for myself bigger barns and then I will have room for all of my wealth. And I will say to myself, I have so so much that I don’t have to worry about the future. Take it easy. Eat, drink and be merry!”

 Then God said to the rich man, “You fool! Tonight, your soul is required of you! Then who will possess your riches?”

 Jesus concluded the story saying, “So is he that layeth up treasures for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

 What treasures are you laying up this day? Are your treasures of this world? Or have you riches in the kingdom to come?

 Women often love to shop. If they are sad, they shop. If they are happy, they shop. If they want to celebrate a bonus in their paycheck, they go shopping. If they have no money, they dream of all the things they could buy if they had money.

Especially here in North America, the average family is over run by possessions. Look at the popularity of home organization businesses and products and books! We have so much that we have to really think about where we are going to store it.

 On a number of occassions I have watched the show on TLC called Clean Sweep. Have you seen it? The families that the Clean Sweep team go in to help have at least one room in their homes that is completely and utterly packed jam full of stuff and it is ruining their lives!

 I have to admit, in my own home, we have been severely blessed with an abundance of things. So, the last month I have been giving away a lot of it. I am still finding things to give away. In fact, I realized that there is nothing worth the frustration of trying to find space to house it. I have also come to the point in my life where I really don’t want anything else.

 Just think of all the money Americans could save if they didn’t feel the need to have the latest gadgets or the most expensive cars or houses they couldn’t really afford. We are a people addicted to materialism and debt. I am so thankful that my husband is a wise money manger. I am thankful that over the years he has taught me restraint and self control so that there is hardly anything that I need “right now.” I can wait until it goes on sale!

 Jesus has told us that we are worth so much more than our possessions. Things cannot make you happy. True happiness comes from God. No one ever lies on their death bed and wishes they had more clothes or bigger TV’s or fancier cars. Instead, they think of all that they didn’t have the chance to say or they wish they could just have more time to share with their loved ones.

 You can’t take your riches with you when you are gone. But if you set the example of Godly living to your family - you can take them with you! As the saying goes, ‘Where your treasure lies, there will your heart be.’

 If you are seeking to have riches untold in this world, in the end it will all be gone… but if you are laying up riches in your Father’s Kingdom, you will be rich forever.