August 2010
I still have a little red picnic basket in which I kept my “treasures” as a child. Among other things, it held a small wrought iron dog painted orange with black ears. Looking back I am not sure why it was a treasure.
As my son was growing up, he inherited the basket and added his own “treasures. ” In the midst of my housecleaning, I recently came across the basket and found his additions: bottle caps, wooden coins from the orthodontist, skeet ball tickets, stamps and numerous carnival trinkets to name a few. Fortunately I did not find any cicada shells!
Jesus had a lot to say about treasures. He told the young man who built huge barns to store his crops, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be? so it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
He told the people not to store up treasures on earth but to store up treasures in heaven and he also said “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6: 21)
Martin Copenhagen, a UCC pastor in Mass., writes, “ Jesus’ statement may sound familiar, but if we don’t read it with care we might reverse the statement through a kind of scriptural dyslexia. We might read it to say, ‘Where your heart is, there will be your treasure.’ That would make sense to us because much of the time our dollars follow our heart’s lead. We give to what matters to us. But that isn’t what Jesus said.” Copenhagen says, Jesus is referring to a different dynamic – give WHERE you want your heart to be!
The knick-knacks in our basket held some special meaning or were associated with something memorable at one time. We thought we would always remember their significance but alas over time the meaning, like the items themselves have faded.
Where is our real treasure: the body of Christ, leisure, peace, our homes, justice, family, friends…? What do we consider a lasting treasure for all eternity that does not fade but shines brighter over time? May God lead and guide us to identify our treasure and may our hearts, time and talent be used to the glory of God!
Blessings and peace,
Pastor Cathy
“the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all he had and bought it!” Matt. 13:45