Properly Placed Treasure

     “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.” Psalm 4:7

      I can remember a time when I thought that if I could just manage to acquire a small fortune my life would be as happy and fulfilling as it could be. I think that a great many people who claim Christ as Lord feel much the same way. Obviously we should all know that wealth does not lead to happiness or fulfillment. A simple perusal of the magazine stand as we pick up our groceries shows us that movie stars, music stars, and sports stars are not immune to disastrous lives because of their great wealth.

     Sure, it’s nice not to have to live one paycheck to the next. I can only imagine that it’s nice to pay one’s monthly bills and still have so much money left over that you don’t even know what to do with it. But wealth is just a thing among a world of things. When a person puts all of their trust in things, whether they have a lot of things or a little, a truly fulfilling life is far from them. 

     Perhaps someone says, “I know some people who put all of their time and effort into acquiring more stuff and they seem to be awfully happy.” I have no doubt that there are some who are quite fulfilled with that type of life. But which shoes would you rather fill before God: the shoes of a wealthy man with all of his millions who forsook the health of his soul, or the shoes of a man who lived from one paycheck to the next but lived faithfully to the Lord? I know my answer.

     So we come to our title. Where are you storing your treasure? The parable of Luke 12:13-21 shows us a man who continues to exist in our world today. He was a man who spent all of his time acquiring money and things. His soul was required of him and his wealth could do nothing to save him. God called him a fool. Verse 21 says, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

     So where is your treasure? Put it in heaven and understand exactly how David could say what he did in Psalm 4:7. Only then will you know the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).