Treasure of Christ

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” ^ESV Matthew 13:44

Any parent can attest to the fact that children have to learn the concept of cost and value. Especially in America perhaps, where a consumerism mentality thrives and is still promoted in advertising even in the midst of a deep recession, children, teens, and some adults, seem oblivious to the fact that something of value is exchanged in every transaction.

With children, examples are endless; ice cream cones at the park, toys at the store, candy in the checkout lane, electronic games, etc. Parents are forever making purchase (value-exchange) decisions for children. With teens, the decisions are sometimes very similar, but the value exchange part of the equation is much, much larger!

I’m convinced that it’s not until we begin to work and earn that we begin to have an internal sense of cost and value-exchange (an internal compass of sorts) that enables us to begin making wise purchase choices. Sadly, it never “clicks” with some folks and they enter adulthood in a state of blissful ignorance with the eyes of a child.

Far from being a spendthrift, it seems that Matthew is writing about an adult who has learned the concept of value-exchange even though this person is willing to exchange all that he owns for a single field. Of course it’s not just any field; it is a field containing great treasure in the purchaser’s eyes; a treasure that he saw even as others walked past and overlooked. I can’t help but imagine people casually walking past the same field everyday and seeing nothing of particular value in it.

Now, just for a moment, imagine people walking past our churches and seeing nothing of particular value; no reason to darken the doors. Imagine people ignoring Jesus and seeing nothing of value in a relationship with him. Imagine casually walking past the person of whom God the Father commanded “...Let all God’s angels worship him.” (Hebrews 1:6 ESV) It happens every day with alarming frequency. We worship the red carpet. We are attracted (some would say distracted) by the latest, glitziest bit of bling that Hollywood and media dangles before us, all the while ignoring the person that even angels are commanded to worship.

Permit me two observations while emphasizing that this passage is about the treasure; not the church per se. First, the church today (at least in America) appears to be doing a pretty good job of holding the status quo; of keeping its members content and entertained. But, secondly, she also appears to be doing a poor job of revealing her treasure, her head; Jesus Christ. That is to say that the church is failing in its calling to make disciples (followers of Jesus) of all nations.

Christ exchanged his life for your eternal life. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s moving in our midst to reveal the treasure of Jesus.

The Checkbook Chronicles

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

Money matters; and, according to Howard Dayton, “our checkbooks tell us more about our priorities than does anything else.” Your check register is a journal of sorts that records much more than your cash balance; it records (chronicles) your lifestyle and priorities.

In and of itself, it’s a harmless object, but its details can reveal where you’ve vacationed, your favorite restaurant, where you buy groceries, gas and medicine. It can tell where you buy clothes for the kids and how much your car payment is. For married couples it can be the fuel for many and angry fight. For all, the check register tells a story.

Every now and then you learn a phrase or principle that you commit to memory and carry for life. Once such phrase for me was, “It’s just money.” Far from being a careless comment about the importance of money, money is of course a vital means of trade for everyone, the phrase puts money in proper perspective. Money is vital as a tool but not a treasure. Let me explain.

To treasure something is to place a high, personal value on it. Off hand I’d say that most folks treasure their health and the health of their families more than their checkbooks. In our community, most folks might even agree that personal relationships are more important than their checkbooks. Both examples, though important, may be shortsighted. What about eternity?

We’ve been conditioned to live for today. Many folks live for today and also save for tomorrow (saving, by the way, is both prudent and biblical). A few folks are able to live today with a long-term perspective, but I’m afraid only a precious few live today with eternity in mind. If your Checkbook Chronicles were published as a book, what would it say about you? Would it indicate that your treasure and priorities are rooted in the here and now or would it show that you were living today with eternity in mind?

We must live today, but not “for” today, so don’t be taken captive by the here and now; it will be gone soon enough. True treasure is in heaven, so live each day with eternity in mind.

Limitations

“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.” ^ESV Psalm 72:18

What are you going to give up? That was the question Melisa (my wife) asked when I announced a grand new adventure that captured my attention. The question is both reasonable and common around my house. Oft times I find that my appetite for doing is greater than my capacity for doing. You’d have to look no further than my bookcase to see that my appetite for good books is greater than my ability to plow through them. But hey, it sure is fun trying! Anyway, it’s good to be reminded on occasion that there are limits to what one can do.

Paul Tripp has written a good book titled Broken-Down House: Living Productively In A World Gone Bad. (I highly recommend it by the way.) One chapter in the book summarizes limitations by pointing out that the human race is subject to three inescapable limitations. He says: “We are limited in wisdom, in power and in righteousness.” If you think about it, to argue to the contrary would be to argue that you are, in some sense, God; the only person with unlimited wisdom, power and righteousness.

As I thought about these limitations I was able to look back on the past week and see how each of these limitations was true in my own life. Had my words and actions in that meeting last week been charitable and wise? No, certainly not as charitable and wise and I would have liked. Did I have the power within me to change the opinion, thoughts or actions of others? No, I may have the power to influence others, but I don’t have the power to change them. And power to be righteous? I don’t even want to think about it.

Next week, I think I’ll purposefully remind myself each morning of these limitations in the hopes that the thought will allow me to live each day less dependent on myself and more dependent on God. Too, I hope that it will allow me to give God glory and credit for any and all “accomplishments” that I might otherwise be tempted to take credit for myself and thus feed my be pride.

In a prayer book called The Valley of Vision, a prayer titled God The All offers this food for thought: “I am well pleased with thy will, whatever it is, or should be in all respects, and if thou bidst me decide for myself in any affair, I would choose to refer all to thee, for thou art infinitely wise and cannot do amiss, as I am in danger of doing. I rejoice to think that all things are at thy disposal, and it delights me to leave them there.”

“....it delights me to leave [things in God’s hands].” Hmmm, what a concept. “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.”