Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21
How many of you are collectors? I’ve had a few collections in my life, but now that I live in a small condo, most of them are gone except a few special roosters (Yes, but the cows and Noah’s arks are gone!) and a plethora of sea glass. I have two sons who are hat collectors; can anyone relate to that? And let’s face it. For those of us who have been teachers at one time or another, we have unintentionally accumulated more than enough mugs and candles. To many people, their collectibles are true treasures.
To give a different perspective on treasures, let me share a story that a friend recently wrote for her church newsletter.
Yesterday I had two guests for coffee. Luis and Luis. Father and son. 85-year-old Luis walks on the beach every day. He is a gentle soul. Our friendship began as we were both on our beach walks. As they were leaving my home, the younger Luis looked around my home and asked, “What’s your favorite? Which beach treasure is your best? What’s your “Faberge Egg”?
I didn’t have an immediate answer for him. All of my beach treasures have a story and put a smile on my face. There’s a 50 foot mooring rope, a dried up triggerfish, a rope ladder, and a multitude of shells. After they left, though, my mind would not stop. Which WAS my Faberge Egg? Suddenly, it was obvious. It wasn’t any of the physical treasures around my apartment. My biggest treasure was a person.
I met Doris on the beach when I first started walking. Our friendship had a rare start—it was instantaneous. It began the day we met and continued for well over a decade until she passed.
Her home was a gathering place for a wide variety of individuals. She was the type of person that made everyone feel as if they were her best friend. Everyone loved her easily because she showed her love to everyone in a way that worked for each..no matter how quirky any of us were.
To be closer to her family, she moved when she was 99 years old. I was sad to see her go, but we kept in close touch with phone calls, letters, and visits. As we were ending one of our phone calls, Doris said to me, “Give my love to someone who needs it.” And that is the day I heard God speak to me through a 102 year old great, great grandmother. It was as if Jesus was on the phone. It was the shortest summary of God’s Word that I have ever heard. Just eight words. “Give my love to someone who needs it.”
Even though I have many beach treasures in my home, Doris and her wisdom are the real treasures. The physical treasures are temporary, but Doris, her love for others, generosity, and obvious love for Christ is a lasting gift to me. My Faberge Egg.
The “Doris” in this story is my grandmother. She was almost 105 when she moved to her eternal home in heaven, and as you can see from this story, she was extraordinary. Her love for Christ, her zest for life, and her deep love for others, particularly her family, always shone brightly. At her celebration of life, I vividly remember my family—mom, children, grandchildren—talking about carrying her torch of joy forward as a way to honor her, but especially to honor Christ.
We have relationships in all of the facets of our life. Our family, our friends, our acquaintances, our work, our neighbors, and even fleeting passers by. If our true treasure is Christ, are we:
- Seeing people as image bearers?
- Being fully present in our relationships?
- Loving our neighbors?
- Choosing a joyful attitude?
- Celebrating being a child of God?
What do you treasure? Where is your heart today? Matthew 6:21 tells us, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The preceding verses include the Lord’s Prayer and a direct command to not store up treasures on earth (verse 19). Our treasure is heaven, and we serve God more deeply when we follow Him closely. Personally, as a mom of three and grandmother to five, I pray that I reflect His love to my family, imperfectly at best, so we have a big reunion for eternity.
May we all fulfill that simple request that Jesus asks of us. “Give my love to someone who needs it.” He will delight in us as we share His love—our greatest treasure—with everyone.
