Matthew 6:19-21King James Version (KJV)
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
This passage was often quoted by Reverend Davis when I attended St. Lukes Church as a child. Growing up Mom took us to church, whether we wanted to or not ! After a short time I began to enjoy the social aspects of this community. The religious instruction I received I just took at face value. There were many years that I did not seriously consider those verses and their meanings. Still, I would say the foundation was laid. My faith is built upon a rock and remains solid. I give the credit to Reverend Davis for his kind and caring ways. I give credit to my God for continued faith.
I have been thinking about these passages the last several days. What follows are my thoughts. The verse tells us to not lay up for ourselves treasure upon earth but treasures in heaven. How do we lay up that treasure and what is it ? That is what I have been thinking about. I began to think how we often say, we spend time, doing whatever. The word spend implies the expenditure of some " treasure. " It is this time that I think is the treasure being referred to in this scripture. When we spend out time ( treasure ) to the benefit of others we are laying that treasure up in heaven. This seems reasonable to me in light of the Bible as a whole. So it logically follows that I should " spend " my time and energies helping my fellow man. If I do this I will be laying up those treasures. The final verse reminds me that the action must be pure in spirit. For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. In other words if I do this with my heart, earnestly and truthfully I will be rewarded. My " treasure " awaits me and obtaining that " treasure " is solely based upon my own actions and choices. Thinking about these verses in this way has me considering how I spend my time. I should not be wasting it on frivolous things, but trying to spend it wisely. The old saying, waste not,want not takes on new meaning in that context. The verse is telling me not to spend my time doing what I want. I should be doing whatever God has purposed me for.
That is what I think that passage is talking about. Our time is limited here on this earth. We cannot know the hour of our death. The bible tells us, or more exactly Jesus told us that. Only God knows that time. We should strive to use that time, that treasure, wisely. Is that why we say life is a gift,treasure it ? Bottom line here is, I've got a job to do I had best get to it. The laying up of treasure in heaven ensures my treasure, eternal life, time is unlimited. Is that not the promise that God has made ?
I have been thinking about these passages the last several days. What follows are my thoughts. The verse tells us to not lay up for ourselves treasure upon earth but treasures in heaven. How do we lay up that treasure and what is it ? That is what I have been thinking about. I began to think how we often say, we spend time, doing whatever. The word spend implies the expenditure of some " treasure. " It is this time that I think is the treasure being referred to in this scripture. When we spend out time ( treasure ) to the benefit of others we are laying that treasure up in heaven. This seems reasonable to me in light of the Bible as a whole. So it logically follows that I should " spend " my time and energies helping my fellow man. If I do this I will be laying up those treasures. The final verse reminds me that the action must be pure in spirit. For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. In other words if I do this with my heart, earnestly and truthfully I will be rewarded. My " treasure " awaits me and obtaining that " treasure " is solely based upon my own actions and choices. Thinking about these verses in this way has me considering how I spend my time. I should not be wasting it on frivolous things, but trying to spend it wisely. The old saying, waste not,want not takes on new meaning in that context. The verse is telling me not to spend my time doing what I want. I should be doing whatever God has purposed me for.
That is what I think that passage is talking about. Our time is limited here on this earth. We cannot know the hour of our death. The bible tells us, or more exactly Jesus told us that. Only God knows that time. We should strive to use that time, that treasure, wisely. Is that why we say life is a gift,treasure it ? Bottom line here is, I've got a job to do I had best get to it. The laying up of treasure in heaven ensures my treasure, eternal life, time is unlimited. Is that not the promise that God has made ?
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