Where’s your treasure?

Luke 12: 33-34

Sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  NIV

There is so much here!

A purse that won’t wear out … or ever go out of style.

Years ago, when I lived in New York, I bought several bags in different sizes and colors.  I was foolish enough to believe the hype … I was making an investment … these bags would last a lifetime!  Not so.  Perhaps I haven’t taken as good care of them as I should have, but, all show their age, and, in addition to wearing out, they also are out of style.  I love the concept of “vintage.”  Soon, those bags will fit that category, and then, perhaps, they will be new again, but, they will still, eventually, all wear out.

A treasure that will not be exhausted … the ability to live off the interest and never touch the principal.

This was the dream of an older person I once knew.  She felt that if she could build up enough principal to support her for the rest of her life, she could simply live off the interest and have no worries.  Trouble is, prices are constantly increasing … what seemed wholly adequate —  even excessive — years ago is now barely enough to pay the bills … where does all the money go?  The treasure is always exhausted … there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Where no thief comes near and no moth destroys … I want to live there!

Once, my car was stolen from in front of my house.  Right there, at my front door one day … gone the next.  And, one year, moths destroyed all of my sweaters.  As much as I love this part of the country, there are tolls to be paid for living here.

These verses are an awesome reminder.  The Message translates them, “Be generous.  Give to the poor.  Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bank-robbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on.  It’s obvious, isn’t it?  The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be and end up being.” MSG

That’s what I’ll think about today.