Treasures in Heaven

Matt. 6:21, ".....Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven."

Each year several families from Decatur would take their children to the beach in Florida for their summer vacation. After one such trip some of their children were playing together. When the mother in charge went to check on them, she found all kinds of stuff strewn all over her den. The youngsters explained the big mess by saying they were "playing Florida."

I can relate, because when our family goes to the beach, we enter a neat, clean spacious place and immediately clutter it up with suitcases, coolers, sacks of groceries, beach towels, bathing suits, tote bags, hair dryers, make-up and dopp kits, and all sorts of other miscellaneous paraphenalia, all permeaated with the unmistakable aroma of sun tan lotion.

No wonder God doesn't allow us to bring our earthly stuff and litter up His heaven with it.

The story is told of one man who begged so long and hard that God gave him permission to bring just one suitcase of stuff when he came to heaven. The overjoyed fellow packed his suitcase full of gold bars. When he arrived at the pearly gates and proudly showed St. Peter what he had brought with him, St. Peter asked him in astonishment, "Why in the world did you bring pieces of pavement?"

As I have thought about it, I have realized that many of my treasures of yesterday have become my trash of today. The real treasures are my relationships with God and with other people.

Prayer: Dear God, Help me to spend most of my time, energy, and resources on the things that matter most--on the real treasures of life. Amen.