As we grow up, we are taught to be ambitious, fight hard to make a good life for ourselves, make sure you have the best this world has to offer. In pursuit of that, we break our backs; work our fingers to the bone to get our treasure stored up. Some resort to deceit, cruelty, backstabbing you name it; just to make that money, get that man or woman, be in that position and have those things. The bible says a wise man leaves an inheritance for his children so I don’t think there is anything wrong with a little ambition. The bible also said that God will give us the desires of our heart so really, what’s wrong with a little bling. So if God says it’s okay to have the stuff, how is it wrong to chase after the stuff? So looking at all that, when is ambition wrong and displeasing? why can’t we store treasures for ourselves on earth, party it up while we are here because life is as short as we always say it is.
Well last week I lost a great friend of mine. She was a smart lady, beautiful, had a wonderful husband, lovely little baby girl. Three weeks ago, she was getting ready move into her dream home, her husband just got a transfer closer to home, her baby was now living with her, and the future looked bright. Those things did not just fall on her lap, she worked hard for what she had, it was time for her to reap the reward of all her troubles and hard work. Then she got sick; we went to visit her at hospital and chatted as always, girl stuff. She looked fine, she was her old funny self, I forgot to pray for her. At home cell, the Holy Spirit just nudged me to pray for her, I did just then I got a message that she’s back in ICU. It hit me that I’m not sure if she’s born again. I had been inviting her to church but I never asked if she was born again. I guess I took for granted that she’d still be here, she was so young.
There are two factors in this thing. She stored all this treasure for herself and she never got to enjoy the fruits of her labour. I wonder if she stored any treasure where she is now. I knew the truth but I was so concerned with the worldly fun I had with her that I ignored that I was commissioned. I lost the treasure that is her, that I could have stored for myself in heaven, because in heaven the currency is not monetary, material or status but people, I had an opportunity and I didn’t use it, I guess I lost that treasure.
My point is, this world is but a vapour, what it has to offer is temporary, sometimes we get so preoccupied with it and its treasure when God clearly said in Matthew 6 that We must not store our treasures on earth where they can be stolen or destroyed, but store them in heaven where we can have them for eternity. The bible also makes an example in Luke 12:16-20 about the man who worked hard and thought he would enjoy his fruits only to die and leave it. In Luke 12:31 Jesus ends by saying what we should be seeking is the Kingdom of God, and then we won’t have to chase after all these other things. The whole chapter 12 in Luke is clear on that.
So friends, what are you doing, where are you storing your treasure, is it in this temporary vapour world or in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them?
