Treasure – wealth, power, influence. We all want it. The desire is saturated throughout human nature and human history. But our use of treasure is controversial and provokes ceaseless creativity, corruption, generosity, and greed.
What Do You Treasure?
In his celebrated Sermon on the Mount, Christ Jesus declares For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). Of what treasure is He speaking? Treasure can refer to something material like money, property, or possessions. Treasure may also refer to spiritual wealth, including wisdom, love, spiritual understanding, and the Good News.
What we treasure bears witness to our values, our priorities, and our faith. What we dwell upon in our discretionary moments, where our mind goes when undistracted, what we do with uncommitted resources, all reveal what is most important to us.
What is the treasure Christ values? He declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:35-40). In short, love God and people. His proclamation was challenging to those of that time. They, like we do today, treasure other things – possessions, position, projects, and pleasures. But to Christ, how we value God and other people is the best measure of our wealth.
What Account Will You Give for Use of Your Treasure?
Christ realized that soon he would be arrested and executed. In this context, he described the future ultimate judgment of humanity, often referred to as the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew chapter 25:
He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father… For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ And then, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,”
This preview of our coming appearance before Christ contains powerful principles applicable for how we live today. A central criterion described for His judgment of our lives is our acts of compassion.
What Will You Do Right Now with Your Treasure?
As a new follow of Christ in high school, I devoured the New Testament, especially on the hunt for wisdom to guide my life’s work. This journey brought me again to Matthew chapter 25 where I read the parable of the Five Bags of Gold:
A master going on a journey called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability… After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ But not every servant was as faithful with as he.
Each of us have certain skills, resources, and time – about 25,000 days in a lifespan. What will we do with our treasure? Will we, as most people, spend it amassing for ourselves wealth of all kinds? Or will we direct our focus – even our possessions, position, projects, and pleasures – to better the welfare and resilience of those who are sick, poor, undereducated, minorities, disabled, elderly, refugees, and victims of war and disaster?
Treasure. We all possess under our control some assets, hours, and abilities. Trustworthy use of our treasure has powerful consequences, both to honor Christ and to genuinely benefit of humankind. What’s more, our lives intentionally focused on enhancing the welfare of others illuminate the richest lives and lifestyles of all.
~ Above is an excerpt from the new book by INMED founder Nicholas Comninellis Five Bags of Gold: A modern parable of wealth, responsibility, and eternal investment. You can read a full chapter and also order the paperback, e-book, or audio book at https://www.masterbooks.com/five-bags-of-gold