Security

Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19).

Typically, I'd think he was talking about Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, you know the really rich people--but Jesus never quantifies how much money you have to make to be "storing up treasure" on earth, nor does he name an income bracket.

He might not even be talking about greed at all. He might be talking about a problem that hits a little closer to home: prioritizing security over the kingdom.

Why do people store up treasure? They want to ensure that they'll never be in want. My step-great grandma is a good example of this. Her take-away from the Great Depression was to always be prepared, and boy was she prepared. She canned vegetables and more vegetables until her canned food was like wine--it had a vintage. "Yup, these pees were from 1952." (My dad said it was pretty horrifying to eat at her place--as the vegetables were all oddly colored and aged.)

I may not be building up my security in canned food, but I've put money into a such things as a service contract for my car (because the cost of car repair is so high), gap insurance (just in case there was a gap between what I owed and what I received from my regular insurance if I crashed my car). I tried to buy my way out of insecurity.

Part of the desire for security is prudence. It is looking to the future and not knowing it and preparing for possible bad outcomes. But this prudence has a nasty habit of becoming a priority in our lives. Jesus also said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be" (Matthew 6:21). It's possible to put all my energy into creating a sure life that I neglect the kingdom.

The irony of this is that even if I go about "storing up things" to protect against an insecure future, the thieves still might come in an take what I've stored up. I might still destroy my car even after I've put so much thought and money into it.

Jesus said also said, "Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:20). The goal is to start recognizing that the kingdom of God has a greater priority in my life than anything else and to realize that my ultimate security is storing my treasures in heaven because those treasures can never be taken.