Today’s scripture: Matthew 6:21 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Penny Dean):
Our neighbor is a pirate. I don’t mean to say that she lives on the Black Pearl or that we’ve seen her burying things in her backyard. Rather, she is often coming in to money, her most recent windfall being about $3,000. And I doubt that she hoards her treasure (or buries it) as we would expect a pirate to do. But, as I write this, tornado warning sirens are going off (which makes writing this piece easier since this chapter is chock full of good things), and I wonder what treasure I would save if disaster struck.
The obvious image that comes to mind when I hear the word “treasure” is money. This image is followed closely by gold and jewels. Since I’m only just starting a new job, there’s not a whole lot of cash in the house and very little gold or jewels. I wonder how much my college class ring would fetch at one of those gold-buying places?
If treasure is wealth or something valuable, I might save important documents like deeds or car titles or my two degrees that I don’t use. Or I might save some personal items that I value like the Lord of the Rings set my brother gave me or my box of journals.
All the valuables I’ve listed so far are replaceable. Loved ones are not. I believe most of us would, in an emergency, try to get our partners, children, and pets (including a smelly hound dog) to safety first. In spite of disagreements, differences, and annoying habits, their lives are precious (both to them and to us). They are invaluable and irreplaceable. We wouldn’t want to live without them. I would argue that any human life is worth more than money or prestige or the opportunity to be right. Life is irreplaceable. Once it’s gone, that’s it.
But what if someone doesn’t feel valued by us? What if we neglect even those we purport to love, or worse, throw them under the bus to get what we want (which is probably something that won’t last)? I would hope that, because it hurts them too much to stay with us, our loved ones would find their own ways to safety — even if that meant leaving us behind.
Pirates have to bury their treasure or hide it in a cave so thieves can’t steal it. Verse 21, according to The Message reads: “The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.” Therefore, a pirate would end up living in the cave, away from other people and sunlight. I could live in my fire-proof safe with my meager valuables but that would be lonely and confining. When I think of good times, I don’t think of these replaceable things. I think, instead, of friends and loved ones — those who are irreplaceable — and that’s where I want to be. I can’t imagine heaven without them.
Thought for the day: Where is your treasure? Is that where you most want to be?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.