Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21
If you haven't watched an episode of Hoarders and need a boost of self confidence in your house keeping abilities, tune in one day. Unbeknownst to these individuals (hoarders), their severe attachment to material things, has resulted in serious issues. Their family members and friends seek a "last ditch effort" in trying to get these "hoarders" professional help with their issue. Most commonly presented on the television show, is the absolutely horrid health hazards, filth, and living difficulties that arise once the hoarding has surpassed a certain point.
While watching the show a couple of days ago, an elderly lady kept referring to the items in her home as her "treasures". Some held sentimental value to her and the memories she relished in, forced her to harbor them in her home. Other items, she felt, held some type of monetary value and one day she believed she would be able to redeem the "treasures" for enormous capital wealth. She truly believed that by clinging to all of these things, she would eventually be a millionaire. The irony of this case, was that the woman had no family and it was a neighbor who sought after the intervention for the woman. At 78 years old, she admitted that once she passed away, there was no will to be followed, no next of kin, no distribution of wealth to be dispersed. No one would have the benefit of her "treasures".
I began to ponder the things I "hoard" or view as my "treasure". While my house doesn't look like one from the television show, sometimes my heart does. My heart parallels and mimics that of a compulsive treasure hoarder at times. How?
Looking at this list, can you identify with any of these earthly treasures that I sometimes hoard?
- $$$...when money is involved, less isn't always more. You need it to live. You must have it to survive. But sometimes I find myself wanting more..
-Fancy Cars, Shiny Rings, Posh Clothing....while not always, sometimes I do place more value into these things than I should. Should a new bag or a new pair of jeans really make me feel that happy?
-Need for space. I am constantly searching for ways to expand my home. Widen that closet, expand that room, build on to this or that. Why? Only to hold more earthly possessions of course!
-Want for deeper relationships with friends and family. While this isn't always a bad thing, I'm always wondering how I can improve this friendship or connect with this or that person....sometimes people can be our treasures. Maybe we invest more time than we should into some people when it should be invested in other areas.
-The list is endless...maybe your treasure hoarding is a fancy boat, a sporty car, or a bottomless closet of designer rags. Change the list around a big to suit your heart....you will find some earthly treasure if you search long enough.
So, in Matthew 6 it tells us instead of laying up our treasures here on earth, we should lay them in heaven. How can we lay up our treasures in heaven?
- Serve the Lord! When we use our resources (whether money, time, or self) to serve him, our inheritance is the kingdom of heaven! What better treasure could you ask for? Streets of gold! Mansions! Heaven will be a treasure unlike any other.
- Live sacrificially. Help others, give up your "self" to aid another. Spend time helping others that are in need financially, emotionally, or spiritually. Matthew 10:42 tells us any that gives a cup of water to a disciple will not lose their reward.
- Use our spiritual gifts for his glory instead of our own. We shouldn't serve and work to "toot our own horn" so to speak. We shouldn't be awaiting the applause from others. Matthew 6:16 tells us that applause was the full extent of the Pharisee's reward...but it doesn't have to be the extent of ours IF we use our gifts to glorify the Lord instead of ourselves.
-Exclude love of monetary wealth from our lives. The parable of the rich man in Matthew 19 who refused to give up his money and follow Jesus, shows us what greed can do. It can completely deplete our heavenly treasures.
And now the why...why is it so important? Where your treasure is, there your heart is also. The treasures that await us in heaven greatly outweigh the treasures here on Earth. The Lord's reward is continually gracious and abundant. If we can always work for the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly, it will not be in vain. Treasure awaits us!
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While watching the show a couple of days ago, an elderly lady kept referring to the items in her home as her "treasures". Some held sentimental value to her and the memories she relished in, forced her to harbor them in her home. Other items, she felt, held some type of monetary value and one day she believed she would be able to redeem the "treasures" for enormous capital wealth. She truly believed that by clinging to all of these things, she would eventually be a millionaire. The irony of this case, was that the woman had no family and it was a neighbor who sought after the intervention for the woman. At 78 years old, she admitted that once she passed away, there was no will to be followed, no next of kin, no distribution of wealth to be dispersed. No one would have the benefit of her "treasures".
I began to ponder the things I "hoard" or view as my "treasure". While my house doesn't look like one from the television show, sometimes my heart does. My heart parallels and mimics that of a compulsive treasure hoarder at times. How?
Looking at this list, can you identify with any of these earthly treasures that I sometimes hoard?
- $$$...when money is involved, less isn't always more. You need it to live. You must have it to survive. But sometimes I find myself wanting more..
-Fancy Cars, Shiny Rings, Posh Clothing....while not always, sometimes I do place more value into these things than I should. Should a new bag or a new pair of jeans really make me feel that happy?
-Need for space. I am constantly searching for ways to expand my home. Widen that closet, expand that room, build on to this or that. Why? Only to hold more earthly possessions of course!
-Want for deeper relationships with friends and family. While this isn't always a bad thing, I'm always wondering how I can improve this friendship or connect with this or that person....sometimes people can be our treasures. Maybe we invest more time than we should into some people when it should be invested in other areas.
-The list is endless...maybe your treasure hoarding is a fancy boat, a sporty car, or a bottomless closet of designer rags. Change the list around a big to suit your heart....you will find some earthly treasure if you search long enough.
So, in Matthew 6 it tells us instead of laying up our treasures here on earth, we should lay them in heaven. How can we lay up our treasures in heaven?
- Serve the Lord! When we use our resources (whether money, time, or self) to serve him, our inheritance is the kingdom of heaven! What better treasure could you ask for? Streets of gold! Mansions! Heaven will be a treasure unlike any other.
- Live sacrificially. Help others, give up your "self" to aid another. Spend time helping others that are in need financially, emotionally, or spiritually. Matthew 10:42 tells us any that gives a cup of water to a disciple will not lose their reward.
- Use our spiritual gifts for his glory instead of our own. We shouldn't serve and work to "toot our own horn" so to speak. We shouldn't be awaiting the applause from others. Matthew 6:16 tells us that applause was the full extent of the Pharisee's reward...but it doesn't have to be the extent of ours IF we use our gifts to glorify the Lord instead of ourselves.
-Exclude love of monetary wealth from our lives. The parable of the rich man in Matthew 19 who refused to give up his money and follow Jesus, shows us what greed can do. It can completely deplete our heavenly treasures.
And now the why...why is it so important? Where your treasure is, there your heart is also. The treasures that await us in heaven greatly outweigh the treasures here on Earth. The Lord's reward is continually gracious and abundant. If we can always work for the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly, it will not be in vain. Treasure awaits us!
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