The Greatest Thing

What’s the greatest thing in all of your life?  The answer you give to that question reveals a lot about where you will direct your attention, energy, and resources as you live.

In our text this week, Jesus says that we should seek the treasure of His Kingdom and His righteousness.  To some Jesus’ words might appear of little value, I mean, why should you care about someone else’s kingdom or someone else’s righteousness.  Well, the greatest treasure that anybody in this world will ever find is in the assurance that God really loves us and has made a way through Jesus for us to be in good standing with Him and thereby become heirs to the eternal riches of His Kingdom.

In my early childhood days, I was fortunate to have a best friend across the street whose dad owned a junk yard close enough to town that we could ride our bikes out to it.  That place had vehicles lined up for as far as I could see.  It was so much fun to explore that debris field with my buddy and his dad’s pack of Dobermans close by like they were our own personal security detail.  We roamed all over, searching for things inside each cab to play with, or for a battery with enough juice that we could operate the CB radios we sometimes came across.  Years later as an adult, I realized just how much value there really was in that salvage yard.  My friend’s dad used its resources as a start-up for his line of auto dealerships in southeastern Illinois that specialized in conversion van sales.  My childhood friend even became an eventual heir to that auto empire.

While I’m thankful for the memories I have of the people and things of that place in time, the ultimate reality is that even those memories are fleeting.  What if I had found my greatest treasure in any of those things?  Every worldly treasure comes and goes with the elements of time.  God has made you and I for so much more!  The greatest treasure that God offers to each of us is imperishable and revealed to us by His word through the good news of Jesus Christ.

When you experience the teachings of Jesus – do you just see more religious junk or do you find your life’s purpose and meaning in it – to know God and glorify-worship-enjoy Him forever!  God’s Word leads us to keep things in proper priority so we can appreciate his gifts rightly.  Our Father in Heaven gives us all we need and so often blesses us with things that are only for a season of this life but His perspective remains focused on our eternal relationship with Him because God knows His covenant with us is the greatest thing in all of our lives.

Where are you storing your treasure today? 

May it be the treasure kept in the storehouse of our one true King, the righteous One – Jesus Christ!

Grateful & Hopeful in Him,

Jon