“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:” Matthew 6:19-20. We took the kids to an arcade over the weekend to break away from the heat and allow them to spend some of the money they saved up this summer. This wasn’t just any money; it was money they earned from creating and selling items at our farmstand- hard work money. They quickly realized how fast fifty dollars could come and go, but they assumed the trade off when earning tickets was surely going to bring about some great rewards! As they got to the prize counter their countenance changed when looking at the options their one thousand tickets could receive in return.

After careful consideration and concentration, they each walked out with only a bag of pop rocks and a few pieces of candy. Although their experience outweighed the disappointment of such a cheap return on their hard-earned money, I knew they were learning a very valuable lesson at that moment. How many times have we thrown ourselves, our talents, our time and even our money into things and relationships that bring no value in the Kingdom of God? We believe the accolades, the tickets we rack up with others, is the sure sign of success but what value does that bring? There have been seasons in my life that felt as though the busyness and “hype” created fulfillment, but when the flashy lights went out each night, there was still a void that needed to be satisfied. In the verse above Jesus is calling us to create a generational investment not of this world, but that which is eternal. The games of this world with all the colors, excitement, lights and noises have created an experience that keeps us going back for more and hoping for a return that outweighs the sacrifice. I can assure you that if you are seeking “likes”, comments, money or fame as a yield then you have missed the gospel from Genesis to Revelation.

There is nothing greater than helping those in need, creating spaces for people to feel the Father, sharing the Good News in the midst of an ordinary day and ultimately leading others into the greatest prize… Heaven. Jesus is our return. He is our reason to push when the sacrifice becomes too hard to accept, the reason to crawl when the load is heavy and the reason to keep showing up when unplugging seems to be easier. What things can we give up allowing room for us to store up things of Heaven? What are you chasing that will never amount to anything when your time on earth is complete? This little much needed break in our Saturday afternoon forced me to take inventory of my own life and assess what “treasures” I hold so tightly.

At the end of it all I pray I enter unto the Father with more than a handful of trinkets to account for the works I did on this earth and may my children inherit a more valuable return on my investment that points them to the foot of the Cross long after the games of this world end.

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21

Blessings, Kayla