“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." Matt. 5:19-20
I pondered this verse today while I stopped at a few garage sales. The one was totally "my kind of garage sale." They weren't trying to sell old junk for at-cost prices. Nope, these people were moving...and practically giving stuffs away. I got 15 Mercer Mayer books for 50 cents...and a lap quilt (handquilted Mom) and antique chair for a combined $13. Woohoo.
The more I look at the verse above...the more convicted I am about what it means to be a good steward. I can say that I question all purchases closely these days. I'm much more selective...at garage sales. Retail...oh, I'm a lost cause to retail stores. Sorry. I buy name brand clothes, toys, purses, etc. for a literal fraction of the cost. No joke...I bought three shirts at GW and went home and looked them up online and discovered that I'd paid one tenth of the store cost. WOW! I jokingly say that I "exchange" with Goodwill at a regular rate. I buy it there...and return much of it there...whatever doesn't sell at consignment or go to hand me downs. I can truly say that I'm learning to enjoy being a good steward of what I have been given.
BUT the other big issue that comes up when I meditate on this verse is CONTENTMENT! And sometimes, I want my contentment to be conditional on what God does for me. You know, a big 'ole case of entitlement. I question why God hasn't provided more money, what so and so has, etc. I tell Him, through my discontent, that I'd be happy and praise him if I only had those things. Sometimes, I begrudge current blessings by saying to God..."Well, that's nice but I could be happier still if I had THAT." Seems like everytime I get that way...I'm strongly admonished to count my blessings.
AND...oh, the blessings are so vast! What comes out is that the things I think would make me content...stuffs, stuffs and more stuffs...are not what make me so incredibly blessed. It's the things with ETERNAL value...my salvation, my Godly husband, our wonderful family and church family, our beautiful children....
"for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
I think it's so easy, maybe especially in America...to feel like I can have all these rights...to earthly treasures and the comfortable life. As Christians, we were never promised that...in fact...
"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2 Tim. 3:12
Not really sure where I'm going with this...just to encourage thoughts of contentment and ETERNAL perspective. I'm not saying anything about good 'ole fashioned junking...call me, I'll go garage saling anytime...but GOD MUST BE FIRST....
Are you being a good steward of what you've been given?
Are you viewing treasures from an eternal perspective?
4 comments:
Cute picture! These are good reminders, It is all too easy to be caught up in the things of this world that aren't eternal.
Amen to that...in the land of "plenty", people are starving for the Truth....
What a great reminder. Sometimes the world catches me....and I get wounded...and I remember all this is for naught....the Eternal that is what matters.
(and the mercer mayer books. I loved them growing up!)
I think about this even more now that Sparky has gone to Africa, plus watching the Kenya Compassion trip. Always something good to think about. Makes me think of the Nichole Nordeman song "Legacy" with parts of the verse, "moss and rust, thieves and such, soon enough destroy," (or something like that) based on the Matt 6:19 verse.
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