Jesus’ admonition on how to keep our heart storage in good shape or filled with good treasure is one of my favorite passages in Matthew.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of how to correctly spend our energy.   “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21  

Our hearts are depository places that hold our thoughts, ideas, motivations and actions of what we have done.  Jesus’ question looks to the heart and questions what things are we doing in our lives that have eternal value.  Only those things are imperishable and will be counted by God as lasting.  Jesus reminds us that those things are a refection of your heart for Him and what you truly value.   So these thoughts beg further thinking on our part- what am I doing that has eternal value?   Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about eternal value.   Time you spend in God’s Word has eternal value for your soul and knowledge of God.  Time you spend in worship, praise and prayer.  Time you spend with family showing them God’s love, taking care of your children and grandchildren, memorizing scripture and feeding the homeless, widows, orphans or others.  Time you spend taking a cup of cold water to someone in need-be it a meal, a note of encouragement, having a cup of tea and visiting or sending a card.  Time spent making a gift for someone and praying for them.    The list is endless but as you can see these things have no monetary value but are acts of kindness, hope and love done for others and yourself in relationship with God.

Paul talks about the eternal value of the things we do and exhorts us to be sure that our foundation is in Jesus. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15  “Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³ each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴ If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”    So our question remains-are you and I doing things with our time that are based upon Jesus and are enduring or are we spending our time working on things that have no eternal value and will perish when God examines them?   Think on the things you do today and consider their eternal value.  Do they glorify God or you?   

Jesus tells us that those things of eternal value are stored in the treasure room of our heart.  He desires that our treasure rooms be full to overflowing with His kindness, love and goodness.

Linda