Store Up For Yourselves
ETERNAL TREASURE
ETERNAL TREASURE
There is a certain prudence in saving, no doubt, but how much real
security can we find in money?
Jesus used the
images of treasure and eyesight to convey the hidden truth of God's kingdom.
What Jesus said about treasure made perfect sense to the people of His time.
Keep what lasts! Aren't we all trying to find treasure, which will bring
security and happiness? Jesus contrasts two very different kinds of
wealth---material and spiritual goods. Jesus urges the disciples to acquire
spiritual goods. Investing in spiritual goods lasts not for just for a
life-time, but all eternity.
Today many financial
institutions do a lot of advertising to get people to invest their money in
saving accounts. Since the amount of interest they may pay is controlled by law
and usually identical with every institution, they resort to all kinds of
gimmicks to get people to save with them. There is a certain prudence in
saving, no doubt, but how much real security can we find in money?
Jesus says,
"Do not lay up for yourselves an earthly treasure. Moths and rust corrode
and thieves break in and steal." The words of Jesus are verified by an
economy characterized by recession and general instability. The truth is that
money had no intrinsic worth; it only represents values other than itself.
For those with the
eyes to see, opportunities to acquire spiritual treasures abound in the present
and these acquired treasures will be their future reality in eternity. What is
this treasure which Jesus offers so freely to us? It is the joy of knowing the
living God, being united with him, and receiving the inheritance of an imperishable
kingdom - a kingdom of peace, joy, and righteousness. Jesus is eager that we
store up these treasures which cannot depreciate in value.
We also can read in
today's Gospel that "The lamp of the body is the eye". Jesus' image
of eyesight is to convey an important spiritual principle. Bad eyesight is
often used as a metaphor for spiritual blindness. The eye is the window of the
heart, mind, and "inner being" of a person. If the window is clouded,
dirty, or marred in any manner, the light will be deflected and diminished.
Just so with the "inner being" of a person! How we "see"
affects the "inner life", "heart", and "soul" of
our own lives.
When we look at our
own savings, we see that the interest on our money is not much. Remember Jesus
has promised that our generosity in love will gain much more interest than
that. And the means to increase this is very simple. We need to view others
with the eyes of faith and share our love with them.
"For the lamp of the body is the
eye."