Nov 18 - Matthew 6:19-20

Jesus said,

Do not store up for yourselves

treasures on earth, where

moth and rust consume and

where thieves break in and steal;

but store up for yourselves

treasures in heaven, where

neither moth nor rust consumes

and where thieves do not

break in and steal.

Matthew 6:19-20

We live in a culture that chases happiness. And in America, it is "things" that too often make us happy.

For example, I want a new car. I've had my current on for years. The mileage is ticking up. Little problems are creeping in. And it's getting more and more and more and more and more parking lot dings.

Furthermore, it's not practical. We have an old pop-up camper that we can't tow anymore because one of the kids totaled our old beater pickup.

So I want a new vehicle -- a truck with a hitch.

And I want -- get this -- that new car smell!

But here's what I also know: When I look for earthly things to make me happy, they are always temporary. The new car smell wears off. And I have to keep purchasing more and more to make me happy.

And that shapes my heart. It makes me focus on the things of this earth. And they're all temporary. If moth and rust don't consume them, moth and rust will consume me.

How many 94-year-olds have I visited in nursing homes? All their possessions have been whittled down to what will fit in two dressers drawers. And if they've focused on the things of this earth, they are usually very bitter – because they have few things to make them happy anymore.

But … if they've focused on relationships -- including and especially on their relationship with God -- they're not truly alone, even though they're in a temporarily isolated place.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who would like a small truck

and quite frankly, I could easily afford it.

For what we give to charitable causes,

Mary Louise and I could both have

very new and very nice cars,

but we choose to give generously

… to helping kids learn Bible verses ...

and packing 10,000 meals

to be shipped overseas ...

and turning on the lights for AA

to keep one more person

sober another week.

That's WAY better than waiting for

new car smells to growing stale and

worrying about the inevitable dings.

(P.S. Because of these blessings,

I am way richer than any car

could ever make me look!)