Treasure

“for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Matthew 6:21

Treasure – “So give me money, that’s what I want.  Give me money, money, money, that’s what I want.”  Do you remember John and Paul (not the disciples) lyrics?  Even if you weren’t alive when they sang that song, you don’t have far to look to see the addiction of their desire.  Everywhere money runs the show – or so it seems.  Money can buy you a new face, a get-out-of-jail free card, a country of your own and any number of other things.  But a few years later the Beatles were singing, “Can’t buy me love.”

Jesus has more to say about money than almost any other topic.  He was no dummy.  He knew that money drove motivation.  Usually in the wrong direction.  But there is one thing about money that is critically important to God.  Money is the thermometer of commitment.

I saw my friend Paul Meyer stand up in a room full of prominent and successful people and give them this challenge.  “Take out your checkbooks.  Look at the last month’s entries.  Then you’ll see where your real commitment is.”  If you want to know your commitment temperature, look at the money line.  God knows what “normal” means but I am afraid that most of us live in the fever zone when it comes to this measure of devotion.

The Greek word is thesauros.  You will see the English word “thesaurus” – a treasure of words.  Behind this Greek word is the idea of storing up something for future use.  Jesus recognizes that we all store up things for future use.  His comment is not about what we store.  It is about where we store it.  Jesus tells us that the location of our treasure is a great indicator of character.  It doesn’t matter if you have great treasure here.  Storing up daily bread is sort of an oxymoron.  You can’t use tomorrow’s treasure today.  Today is all you’ve got.  So, if your storehouse is located in “tomorrow”, you’re in for some surprises.  I know all about those kinds of surprises.  But, if your storehouse is located in the “eternal”, then you will certainly have ample time to enjoy all those future benefits.

Paul Meyer lives his life on the basis that everything he has is God’s by right of creation.  Paul is just in the redistribution business.  Would it make a difference to you if God redistributed all that you had here?  Would your storehouse still be full? 

Today’s Action:  I will open my checkbook and write “temporary storehouse subject to redistribution” across the register. 

P.S.  If you want to understand more about a great life of redistribution, purchase Paul Meyer’s book, Unlocking Your Legacy