“A Bigger and Better Hunt” 

Dear Faith Family, 

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal, (Matthew 6:19-20). 

Ever been on a bigger and better hunt?  It’s a group game.  Divide the group up into teams and send them out with a dollar bill to trade.  Each team loads up and canvases a neighborhood.  It begins with a knock on a door.  “We’re on a bigger and better hunt.  We have a dollar bill and we’d like to trade for something bigger and better.  Do you have anything that you would be willing to trade?” 

Maybe the neighbor has a baseball glove that they’d be willing to trade.  The team gives up the dollar bill and scores the ball glove.  They then take the ball glove to the next neighbor.  “We have a baseball glove, and we’d like to trade for something bigger and better.  Do you have anything that you would be willing to trade?”  A TV?  A lawnmower?  A motorcycle? 

It seems that following Jesus is a bit like a bigger and better hunt.  Jesus calls us to stop clinging to the smaller and worse things of this world.  By nature, the things of earth are temporary.  They are ours but for a short time.  Earthly stuff gets consumed, destroyed, or changes owners.  Not to mention that eventually it will all be kindling wood! 

Ok, so what are the smaller, worse things of this world that tempt us to treasure earthly treasures?  (Stop.  Let’s make a mental list before we continue reading.)  I wonder if those earthly treasures are possessed by us or if we are possessed by them?  Are we investing our resources (time, talents, energy, money) in temporary stuff? 

Or are we trading in the smaller, worse stuff for the bigger and better treasures of heaven?  Are we treasuring up heavenly treasures like God, like the Word of God, like people created in His image?  Are we more concerned with His kingdom and His will or our kingdom and our will? 

Something bigger and better to think about?  We start this life with nothing but gifts.  And every day we have the privilege of trading whatever has been given to us to invest in heavenly treasures.  Today we get to follow Jesus.  Today we get to love our neighbors.  Today we get to use our earthly gifts as instruments of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! 

So then, at the end of the day what’s on our trophy shelves?  What’s locked securely in our vault?  Over what do we stand guard?  Earthly treasures or heavenly treasures? 

Learning to treasure heavenly treasures, 
Pastor Karl