Rusty Treasure?

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.


I watch in these economically challenging days as people are consumed by what has happened to their monetary worth. Obviously, in those terms, I'm not thinking about the poor because they have no net worth to worry about. People often say they have worked hard for their money and I'm sure to some degree that is true, but have you ever really talked to a homeless person about what it takes to live their life? Or talk to the minimum wage father who quit school to help support his family at 16 and now works three jobs to support his own family. I had a friend who was a welfare mother. She was deserted by her husband in Boston with three children and with three babies work was impossible. She was on welfare for a few years as the kids grew. She used to tell the story about birthdays. She could afford to bake a cake but could not afford the frosting. Once when invited to a birthday party she was embarrassed when her son loudly asked what the stuff was that was all over the cake. Her life was difficult every day. The physical work may not have been as great as some of those hard working successful families, but the emotional work to keep it all together for her kids was torturous work, and all the while the world just kept working to make her feel ashamed.

Why do we who have so much think that because of the luck of our genetics or life circumstances we deserve so much more than others? Do you think God looks at it that way? Do you really think that the mental illness of many of those homeless people should subject them to that kind of life? Is that what God wants?

I've pondered this passage of scripture many times wondering where I find myself. I even question my motivation at times. I do give away some of my treasure and I do it to Godly causes, but am I doing it out of love and compassion (that would really store up heavenly treasure) or do I do it because I feel guilty for all the treasure I have stored up on earth, and fear not having enough heavenly treasure? I never come up with a crystal clear answer, but I think God likes that I'm not too comfortable with his teaching.