Matthew 6:19-21
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth where they can erode away or may be stolen. Store them in heaven where they will never lose their value and are safe from thieves. If your profits are in heaven, your heart will be there too."
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Since 1990, I have been directly involved in sorting through the personal belongings of others at least five times - and I’m here to tell you…it’s just STUFF! I’ve commiserated with friends who are having a similar experience, and I’ve shared MY perspective on issues related to inheritances and “estates.” In the end, I’ve asked more than one person, “Why is this so important? You have been fine all of these years without an inheritance or these ‘treasures,’ so why wouldn’t you continue to be okay if you’re left out of the will?”
I have sorted through a lot of my mother’s things in the last 10 months…and we still have a long way to go! But I have become even more cognizant of how important it is to de-clutter my life and re-align my priorities. First, I do not want to burden others with having to dispose of an excess of my “stuff,” and secondly, I don’t want anyone to think that these things define me in any way. When I am gone, I don’t want people to say, “She surely had pretty things.” I want them to say, “She was always busy serving Jesus and others…she gave Him her all.”
I have also begun to give away things that are important to me…to people that I want to “inherit” them. I would far rather be able to explain to that person WHY it is important to me to hand down an item - what the “treasure” means on a personal level. Besides, I would like to be able to see someone else enjoy something that had special meaning to me – and now to him/her. If I wait until I’m gone, I’ll never really know what happened to these items.
I will tell you that I have a long way to go. I still have far too much “stuff”…and some of it I value more than I should. I look at all of the things that were so important to those who have left for heaven…and I remind myself that they could care less today about any of it. The real treasure is waiting for us there! It is accrued by how we serve in Jesus’ name.
We cannot earn our salvation, but I am convinced that when we build a legacy of loving others…treating them with kindness…going out of our way to do whatever we can to be the hands and feet of Jesus for others…and serving God at every turn, our Heavenly Father takes notice. I believe there is a direct correlation between humble, genuine Christian discipleship – emulating Jesus and demonstrating His teachings – and the bounty that awaits us in Heaven. We can’t take this “stuff” with us…but we can stockpile God’s blessings and favor for Eternity. Now which would you really rather have?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth where they can erode away or may be stolen. Store them in heaven where they will never lose their value and are safe from thieves. If your profits are in heaven, your heart will be there too."
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Since 1990, I have been directly involved in sorting through the personal belongings of others at least five times - and I’m here to tell you…it’s just STUFF! I’ve commiserated with friends who are having a similar experience, and I’ve shared MY perspective on issues related to inheritances and “estates.” In the end, I’ve asked more than one person, “Why is this so important? You have been fine all of these years without an inheritance or these ‘treasures,’ so why wouldn’t you continue to be okay if you’re left out of the will?”
I have sorted through a lot of my mother’s things in the last 10 months…and we still have a long way to go! But I have become even more cognizant of how important it is to de-clutter my life and re-align my priorities. First, I do not want to burden others with having to dispose of an excess of my “stuff,” and secondly, I don’t want anyone to think that these things define me in any way. When I am gone, I don’t want people to say, “She surely had pretty things.” I want them to say, “She was always busy serving Jesus and others…she gave Him her all.”
I have also begun to give away things that are important to me…to people that I want to “inherit” them. I would far rather be able to explain to that person WHY it is important to me to hand down an item - what the “treasure” means on a personal level. Besides, I would like to be able to see someone else enjoy something that had special meaning to me – and now to him/her. If I wait until I’m gone, I’ll never really know what happened to these items.
I will tell you that I have a long way to go. I still have far too much “stuff”…and some of it I value more than I should. I look at all of the things that were so important to those who have left for heaven…and I remind myself that they could care less today about any of it. The real treasure is waiting for us there! It is accrued by how we serve in Jesus’ name.
We cannot earn our salvation, but I am convinced that when we build a legacy of loving others…treating them with kindness…going out of our way to do whatever we can to be the hands and feet of Jesus for others…and serving God at every turn, our Heavenly Father takes notice. I believe there is a direct correlation between humble, genuine Christian discipleship – emulating Jesus and demonstrating His teachings – and the bounty that awaits us in Heaven. We can’t take this “stuff” with us…but we can stockpile God’s blessings and favor for Eternity. Now which would you really rather have?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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