Our Treasure

Jesus uses a practical illustration to drive home a significant point. Physical items made up one’s wealth in the first century. Your wealth was in the more clothes you had, the more gold or silver you had and the more you could afford to hold onto your harvest instead of selling it right away. But Jesus reminds them how vulnerable these treasures are. Moths could ruin your expensive clothes, thieves could find your cache of coins and rats could decimate your store of grain. The security of possessions wasn’t as secure as it appeared.

We don’t store our wealth in precisely the same way, but we do the same thing. We can find security in the balance of our bank account or IRA. Perhaps our security is in our education or our health. Maybe our security is investments in Bitcoin, gold, our physical appearance or a relationship. However, just like Jesus said, this security is not that secure. Markets swing, health fluctuates, recessions happen.

Instead, Jesus calls us to store up treasures that can’t be taken away. Real security comes from a life built around Jesus’s teachings. When we pursue becoming the type of person Jesus talks about, we’ll find our life isn’t dependent on our job, the stock market or our health. As our heart changes, the things that matter take care of themselves. We are storing up treasures that last by loving God and others.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Join us this year as we read through the New Testament.

Today’s reading is Ephesians 4.

Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.