Devotional 15 - Treasure

            One year while in Colombia, a supporting church from Ocracoke, North Carolina wanted to send us a care package. They sent it in November intending it to arrive by Christmas, but it arrived in February. No matter what, we were still very excited. The buckeyes (homemade chocolate covered peanut butter) were all melted together in a huge ball. We sat it on a plate in the teacher’s lounge at school that day. It wasn’t long before the chocolate/peanut butterball was gone. What a delicious memory.

            While living overseas I always enjoyed packages in the mail and letters. I still have letters from my pen pals and closest friends. I remember always checking my dad’s mailbox at school hoping for something that was for me. Mail was so important to us. It reminded us that someone hadn’t forgotten us. Still today, I love getting cards. I have a little tradition with some of my friends I have made over the years of sending postcards from the places we travel to. This past year when we were packing up for our move, there was almost a whole file box of cards I couldn’t get myself to throw away.

            As a kid we moved so often it was hard to keep things. We always had to downsize each time we moved. There was no storage unit in the country at that time. If we stored anything it most likely was in someone else house. So each summer that we were able to go back to the states to raise support we had to get rid of most of our things. The only thing my mother allowed me to keep was my stuff animals and letters I had from my friends back home.

            Today the Pastor talked about where we store our treasures. Matthew 6:19-21 NIV “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” In church we were asked to think about what our treasure is in. I realize now hours later that relationships are my treasure. All those care packages and letters sent were reminders that someone still cared about me even if they didn’t see me every day. All the stuff animals I had were usually gifts from friends and family. They all had stories that were connected to a memory of the person who gave it to me. Building relationships are what I thrive on.

            What is your treasure? When you wake up in the morning, what makes you excited to start the day? We all have different gifting’s and skill sets. Are we using them for Christ? Are we afraid to step out and used them because someone might laugh at us? Please don’t! If you have a passion and calling…run to it! God is the only one that can say wait. Pray about what your treasure is and how God can use it today!