Kingdom Treasures

How long would you wait in line for something you wanted?  Most of us grow antsy at a restaurant after having to wait for a table for five minutes.  Think about a trip to the DMV...forget it!!!  Some folks, however, are willing to wait in line hours, days, even weeks to get a particular treasure they believe they just can't live without. 

 

Perhaps you saw the stories this morning of lines, in some cities, blocks long, as people waited for an opportunity to buy the new iPhone 6. One couple, in line together for weeks, shared their strategy of waiting together so one could go for bathroom breaks or to take a shower at the YMCA while the other held their place in line.  Other individuals talked of a common cause and good will among those in line who enjoyed making new friends and keeping other's spots while they took care of personal needs.  I doubt that was true at every location!

 

Now, I appreciate my iPhone, but I don't think I would wait in line too long for a new one.  I know, there are some of you who may be thinking I just don't get...I don't have a genuine appreciation for state of the art technology.  That may be true, but I also think I have better things to do with my time.  It does, however, give one pause to think about the things we hold dearest, the things we are willing to sacrifice ourselves, our money, our time to secure.  Often, those things that we just must have, grow tiresome or lose their interest for us after a while...sometimes a very short while.

 

Jesus talked about priorities when he said, "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"  He sought to communicate Kingdom priorities that would overshadow the lust for accumulating things that soon would lose their allure.  His words aren't a blanket condemnation of the thing we want or need, but they do serve to draw our attention to that which is more significant, the value of our own souls.  "Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven," Jesus said, "where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  I don't believe I want to be defined by the kind of phone I use.  The batteries don't die on Kingdom treasures, nor is the receptions compromised in certain sections of town.  I don't have to argue over unsolicited charges or fret over lapsed warranties.  Kingdom treasures are by far, the better deal.  Yes, it costs me my life, but that is a small price for so great a treasure.

 

Jim Abernathy