Priceless Treasures

Attending local household and farm sales became a favorite activity for my son and me during our homeschooling summer break. We loved searching for new treasures, and my son learned the fine art of bidding on items as they were auctioned. As we arrived at one particular farm sale, however, my spirit was saddened as we meandered through tables and boxes filled with antiques and old-fashioned keepsakes. An elderly widow who had lived alone for many years had passed away, and all that remained of her life was sitting before us. From homemade potholders and doilies to exquisite crystal and china, each item once treasured by this old woman was now for sale. The value and memories they held meant nothing to the strangers purchasing them, and each item sold for next to nothing. "How sad," I said to my son. "These things should be selling for much more. They might as well be giving them away!"

Reflecting on the transactions before me, I saw the foolishness of my priorities in life. Someday, I too would return to dust like this old woman with all my possessions being rummaged through by a new generation of treasure seekers. The value of what I had owned would mean nothing, and my possessions would simply be sold at the cheapest price. As I thought more deeply, I realized Christ's words were true, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (Matthew 6:19-20). Only the love I had shown to others while living for Christ would have any value, importance, or meaning.

What about you? Are you busy storing up treasures in heaven, or are you just accumulating things? Whatever you possess in this life will mean nothing when you stand face to face with your Creator. After all, the only treasures you can bring to heaven are the lives of those who come to know Christ as a result of your witness.

Lord, forgive me when I value the wrong things in life. Teach me to know what's truly priceless in Your eyes, so Your will may be done in my life. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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Comments(11 comments)

AARON T 06/25/2009 04:36:54

What a blessing to be reminded of the true priorities. Let us all remember to store some treasures in heaven daily.

THERESA H 06/25/2009 06:40:32

What a blessing in this world of possesions to be reminded we have all we need in Christ. The ability to share His love with all is we need.

TAMMY G 06/25/2010 00:19:23

Amen! Absolutely true and something we should all be reminded about from time to time!

SUSAN H 06/25/2011 05:29:30

So many times my husband, now a pastor, and I are asked why we adopted so many children, 3 bio and 11 adopted. I always say how could we not? Today\'s devotion sums it up beautifully. I do regret that we didn\'t start home schooling sooner, so we have 5 who have never know the fun and blessings of homeschooling, but the other 9 have benefited. We spent a lot of time advocating for educational change. So in that respect the time was not wasted. But I far prefer putting my energies into the positive energy of providing an education for my children. The benefits to both them and family are priceless! We are nearing retirement age and still home schooling. The last child will graduate when we are in our early 70s. I just can\'t imagine a better way to spend my life.

ANGELA L 06/25/2011 07:29:54

WOW! What a powerful message. I have been going thru all my belongings and getting rid of \"un-NEEDED\" items like excess clothes, baby toys that my kids have out grown.....etc. My Pastor has preached on this very topic. Ty for the reassurance of my Lords will in my life. Ty Lord for the blessings you put in my pathway daily.

JANET E 06/26/2011 09:26:35

The story reminds me of the song about the old violin that was up for auction. No one wanted to bid on the old thing, until it was touched by the master\'s hand. The bidding took off after they heard it played by the master. So much like our treasures, until you understand the value shown by the master it isn\'t worth a thing.

MARY ARLENE C 06/25/2012 04:24:55

wow!

KATHY S 06/25/2012 07:56:26

My cousin and her husband live out of town, when they were up for their visit a year ago, in a conversation about how bad our economy was, and the fate we all were in for, they shared how they were doing a tremendous \"food stockpile\".

At first, I couldn\'t understand why, I thought they are 2 and with their immedite family it\'s 6 people total.

As they continued with their story, they were not only stockpiling for themselves, but my cousin\'s husband said something to this effect \"when people are hungry and we are able to feed them with food, we also will have the opportunity to share Jesus with them\".

I thought \"wow\", \"these people are stocking up so they can save souls\".

That is one stockpile that will turn into a nice size treasure in heaven!

I too need to clear out my house. I love to hold onto things.Especially clothes, as my weight has gone up and down in recent years, I have a few sizes in the storage area. I guess the 5 year rule should be applied here, \"If you haven\'t used it for 5 years, you\'re probably not going to\".

Fragrant candles that I cannot burn because it will make our little parakeet sick, why keep them?

In addition, a group of friends and I used to all do a garage sale once a year. We never made much. But each year throughout the year I would put things in boxes,spending alot of time pricing them and then marking for \"Garage Sale\".

My Mom would always load me up with tons of things right beforehand too. Sometimes she would put in things I would never consider parting with, especially a nice purse for instance, getting $5.00 for it was like an insult.

I asked her why she was puttting these things in the sale, she said \"I\'m in my 70\'s, I\'m on my way out, what do I need all these things for?\"

I now finally \"GET\" this.

My Mothers words, todays beautifyul story, and my own realization of the fact that I am not well enough to do these sales at this time. AND my time could be better well spent.

I will spend today packing up things we don\'t use anymore. I have a friend with 4 children, perhaps she can use a few things, beyond that, it\'s donation time, let it bless someone else who\'s in need.

A house full of clutter isn\'t helping me \"focus\" on the Lord. Maybe after I clear our unneeded things out, I will be able to see and hear God more clearly.

Thanks for this devotional, a true blessing for me!

LAURALEIGH W 06/25/2012 08:44:55

Thanks for an encouraging push to keep teaching my boys that \"coveting\" is one of The Ten Commandments. In today\'s high tech world, our generation of children see advancements made in so many devices almost overnight, making yesterday\'s purchase a dinosaur! Ex. iPad 1, 2, & 3; laptops that weigh less than an average newborn baby; TV\'s that scare me because they are smarter than I want them to be at times; the list goes on & on! My point being that many kids think to survive in the world, they must stay up to speed with this hi-tech world by having the newest, fastest, lightest, etc. gadget! In short we are now learning $$$ & that , \"no, Mommy can\'t just go to an ATM and get more $$$.\" Trying to explain our banking system, cost of living, taxes, and economic decline is difficult, not to mention pretty depressing right now!

I needed a new approach to drive home the fact we should be gracious, humble, and so very thankful to God for allowing us all we do have! I think taking a trip to an estate or Sheriff\'s sale would help. I also told my kids about Kathy, who lost everything in a fire. If she believed her own being lay among the ruins, she would not have had the courage to be the strong person she is today!

May God bless all of us with the knowledge that only with Him all things are possible. May God also grant us the wisdom to accept as fact that money cannot buy happiness. God please grant me & any others in need, an extension on my patience level as I try and keep from going through the roof from repetitive \"can I have...I will die if I don\'t get...everybody else has...pleeeeese! I\'ll never ask for anything else again! Thank you God for letting me keep my sense of humor, for without it, I would...never mind. I simply cannot imagine what shape I would be in without laughter! Everyone have a great day!!! I\'m off & running to keep up with all my boys!

BRENNA H 06/25/2012 08:49:41

Thank you for this message. I was just whining on the fact all we make goes right out the door. Is that not how Jesus lived. He never had a bank account and lived hand to mouth. I am so blessed to be in the situation I am in that I should not be so worried about money. Thank God for using your devotions to keep me on track. I know that God gave it all and I should be willing also. I pray all the time, Lord, please allow me to be a better giver with all you have given. This means time, money, compassion just everything. I fight a selfish heart only through the salvation of Jesus Christ can be cured. We serve an awesome God. Peace of Christ be with all today and everyday.

KATHY S 06/26/2012 06:33:38

Thank you Lauraleigh. I am both humbled and honored that you used us as an example for your boys.

It is true, in a fire or any disaster, you cannot replace your most precious gifts, your childrens lives and your own. The other stuff just becomes not important.

It sounds like you are doing a great job with your boys! And the sense of humor, definatley keep going with that! We all need to take that example. In know I feel better when I\'m laughing or smiling!

And you are so right about money not buying happiness. My brothers Ex wife is a prime example. I consider that my brother has a good job, he\'s a mechanical engineer. I have no clue what he makes, but he has a nice home ect..

When he married many years ago, his wife was from a wealthy home, her parents were very down to earth, and in the beginning, I thought she was too. As time passed, I started to notice that she wasn\'t a happy \'newlywed\'.

You know how when people are first married, they generally have that happy little \"glow\", at least for a few years.

This was different.

Their honeymoon started in Hawaii. The first week or maybe the first 4 days was at a fancy hotel, then they moved to a condo in a nice place that some of our family had stayed at before.

I can remember when we asked about their trip, my brothers ex. said it was \"adequate\" and nothing more.

Adequate? Hawaii, from what I\'ve heard and seen in photo\'s is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

I have nothing against wealth, I don\'t have any. LOL) But, I don\'t envy or feel jealous towards those who do. God bless those who do, people work hard, why shouldn\'t they benefit from their hard work?

But, I had such a hard time understanding how Hawaii could be just \"adequate\".

There was almost never any happiness in their marriage. I felt badly. No matter what they had, it was never enough for her.

If I had gotten married at 22 yrs. and my new husband payed off all my credit card debt, my car loan, all my past bills and provided me with a home that was only a few years old, and, put in a pool, I\'d be thanking Jesus and my new husband.

But, it wasn\'t that way. It was a sense of entitlement, and just never enough.

They divoreced a few years after. Not by my brothers choice, he did all he could to reconcile, although, he hadn\'t been the one breaking the

\"be faithful\" commandment. Still he tried to hold the marriage together.

Right after the divorce was final, His ex wife married \"UP\".

She now has everything her heart could desire. Huge house, much bigger in ground pool, Cars that cost as much as a good downpayment on a house, and they live in a \"primo\" area. And 2 more beautiful children.

Now, I really thought this would bring happiness to her. This woman is still not happy. She is full of bitterness, resentment, and just not happy.

Yet, she has everything she wanted. Her biggest complaint when she was married to my brother was \"money\". Now she has more than 2 or 3 families need, and she is still not happy.

I feel sorry for her. I really do.And I am sincere about that. The last time I saw her, she was rude, dismissive and couldn\'t bring her self to even be cordial to me, or my neice, ( her own daughter).

I pray that God heals her heart, and brings her some peace. It\'s so very sad. So, Lauraleigh, you are so very right money cannot always buy real happiness.

Sorry for writing so much!

Now I Need to take a peek at todays (Tues. devotional) .


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