Bible Reading: Matthew 6:19-21
Don’t store up treasures here on earth . … Store your treasures in heaven. Matthew 6: 19-20
AS HIGH SCHOOL juniors, Steve and Nolan took jobs bagging groceries in the same store. Steve wanted to make wads of money so he could buy a car and enjoy a great social life. Nolan’s goal was to have enough money for school expenses and a few social activities, but staying faithful at church and getting ready for college were more important to him than his job.
By the end of his senior year, Steve drove one of the nicest cars at school, and he could afford to go out with friends two or three nights a week. But in the process of grabbing hold of his goal, Steve’s church life and school life slid to the bottom of his priorities. By fall, Steve lacked both the grades and the savings to start college, and his busy social schedule had pushed all church activities out of his life.
Nolan also reached his goal by graduation. He hadn’t earned nearly as much money as Steve, but he finished high school with a 3.5 GPA and won a scholarship for college. He had been a leader in his youth group and seen several of his friends trust Christ through the group. Because of his staunch dedication to the youth group, his church awarded him with an oldish but dependable used car. They also promised prayer and financial support for college.
Jesus’ warning about storing up wealth on this earth hits Steve’s and Nolan’s situations-and yours-head on. It’s simple economics. Where can you get the best return on your investment of time and energy? You can sell out for ajob that fills your pockets with the bucks to buy all the things you want -CDs, clothes, cars, video games, computer equipment, and more.
But ponder this: Where will all that stuff be a mere year from now? The clothes will be out of style, the electronics obsolete, and the car needing a fix. And in just a few more years, it will all be dust. If stuff is all you can show for your efforts, you won’t have much to show.
You have the chance to make a wiser choice-to invest your time and effort in things that will last beyond the next couple of years. And people are the things that ensure the highest return. The treasures Jesus said you could store up in heaven have a vital connection with loving people in a way that results in them trusting Christ and growing as his disciples. Those are treasures that will never lose their value or become obsolete. And that’s an investment opportunity too good to pass up.
REFLECT: Where are you investing your life right now? What are you doing that will last forever?
PRAY: Lord, help me to invest my life wisely in things that matter.
